The Way Home
by Shiloh2010
Summary: Strikhedonia (n.) The pleasure of being able to say "to hell with it". The summer 1978 nine-year old Bella Swan and her family were driving on the English countryside when they picked up a pair of backpackers. Eleven years later Bella finds herself on a backpacking adventure of her own. Join Bella in adventurous story of self-discovery and finding love in unexpected places.
1. Prologue: Strikhedonia

**_Strikhedonia_** (n.) _The pleasure of being able to say "to hell with it"_

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **May 28** **th** **1990**

 **7:20 pm**

 **New York City**

Bella gazed out the window of the taxi that was now idling outside of her childhood home. This was a house that held so many memories for her, but now it felt like the farthest thing from home. She was delighted to see her family again, but she knew everything had changed.

She had new goals, new responsibilities and she felt a thousand times more mature than when she left almost one year before.

"This is it," she sighed, nervously rubbing her palms against her thighs. "This is where I grew up. Where my parents and my younger siblings live."

"Are we going to see your Papa and Mama?" Bella looked down into Eloise's big inquisitive eyes. Eloise had shown her so much about herself and was now one of the most important people in her life. In a sense, they grew together over the past six months.

"Yes we are." Bella couldn't help the dread that filled her. She was sure the changes she went through over the course of the year were drastic ones. She was unsure as to how her family would handle the new Bella Swan. Would they be able to accept that she was now, truly an adult? Or accept that she had a new home and had no intention of staying in New York City or going back to Barnard?

While she dreaded their reaction to the new her, a certain excitement still filled her. She was excited to see her mother again, hug her father and argue with her sisters. They were still her family and she knew their reunion would be a happy, and relief-filled one.

"They are very nice people. They will absolutely love you." Her voice wavered.

A strong, firm hand reached out and gripped hers. "Are you ready?" Edward asked, rubbing circles on the back of her hand. In that moment, she knew it did not matter. It did not matter what they accepted or if they were disappointed. What was done is done and it was time to move forward.

Perhaps this was what growing up feels like.

The stirrings of maturity she now felt that were not present a year before. The decisions she now had to make.

Her newfound home.

Her priorities and responsibilities were completely different.

Everything pointed to her being truly happy and content and whatever happened tonight would not make the slightest difference. She finally had the pleasure of saying " _to hell with it"_. In the past year, she had encounters that were far more frightening than facing the family she left behind. This was simply a new adventure.

One she was ready to embark on.

"As ready as I'll ever be." With that, she let go of his hand, pushed her door open and stepped out into the drizzling rain of the New York night. She heard Edward's door slam as he walked around the cab, Eloise in his arms. He wrapped an arm around her, looking up at the brick building in front them.

Bella looked up at the man that now meant the world to her. Their relationship had an unconventional beginning, but she wouldn't have it any other way. "Let's go meet your in-laws."

* * *

 **Review please! I'd like to hear what you think.**

 **Let's get this story started!**


	2. Chapter 1: Fernweh

**This is my new story. This idea suddenly came to mind and I have been writing it since last September. Bella is hitchhiking across Europe. I wonder whom she'll meet along the way ;)**

 **Lot's of surprises to come.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer : **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Myer. This is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

 ** _Fernweh (n.)_** _An ache for distant places; the craving for travel_

 **June 7** **th** **1989**

 **1:20 am**

 **New York City**

 _Okay. Three more minutes…_

 _1:21…_

 _1:22…_

 _1:23. Forty-five more seconds_

 _1:23:45 June 7_ _th_ _'89. Close your eyes and take it in. How often does this happen? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9._

Bella Swan opened her eyes and looked down at her grandmother's pocket watch that was clutched tightly in her hand. She lay back in bed clutching the watch to her chest. Being back home was a little disheartening. Bella didn't particularly like college but she preferred it to being under her well-meaning parents' watchful eye. They would be crushed when they found out that she had no intention of returning to Barnard in the fall. She just didn't feel right there.

She thought about her siblings. Emmett had his own place in the city and the twins; Angela and Rachel were down the hall. How would they react?

She glanced across the room at her globe on her table. As a child she was always enamored with all the places in the world and soon her greatest dream was going to be a reality.

When she started at Barnard she had gotten her first job without her parents knowledge and she began saving. They were happy she was being responsible when they found out. Soon she quit that job, got fired from another and just about a month before she quit another. She currently had a new job without either of her parents' knowledge.

With what she made from working at various venues while at Barnard and during the summer plus her savings from childhood, she would soon be able to begin the first step of her journey.

Bella smiled and looked up at the ceiling.

 _Only fifteen more days._

 _Ten days…_

 _Eight hours…_

 _Thirty-five minutes…_

 _Ten days, eight hours and thirty-five minutes._

 _._

 **Wednesday June 14** **th** **1989**

 **2:30pm**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Hey there Beautiful!"

Bella turned to see a tall blonde-haired boy walking towards her. He wore a bright grin and his eyes twinkled with mirth.

"What has you looking so excited?" she asked popping her hip and raising a questioning brow.

Bella and Jasper had been friends since childhood and Bella considered him her best friend. Their fathers had known each other from college and their mothers had become quick friends. It was only natural that they too would be friends.

He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek once he caught up to her on the front steps. "Well, I'm going to see Mrs. Swan soon and any man in their right mind is bound to be excited about that."

"Jasper that's so... –"

"What?" he asked with a shrug. "She's wicked hot."

"She's like your mom." Bella smacked his arm with a laugh.

" _Like_ is the key word here Belly boop," he grinned. "Is she home?" He peered at the still closed front door behind her as if he would see her mother through it.

"I'm not sure if I want to answer that," she laughed.

"Is she still a total ultra-feminist because when she goes on one of her rants…" he trailed of with a dreamy look in his eye.

"You're not right in the head," she said using her knuckles to knock on his forehead. "You know that?"

"So I've been told," he shrugged. "But I've also heard the same about you."

Bella shook her head and turned the key in the door. "Behave," she warned before pushing the door open and leading him inside.

"I'll try my best," he snickered.

Renée Swan was seated on the living room couch sifting through some papers. She looked up with a tender smile as Jasper and Bella walked in.

"Hi kids," She said. "Where are you two coming from?"

"I was at work and I met this dude outside," Bella said gesturing to Japer with her thumb. He chuckled heading straight towards the kitchen.

"Are you finished already?" Renée looked up at the clock. "I thought you finished at five. You're home early."

"Today was my last day so…" Bella said in a rushed sentence. "By the way, why are _you_ home so early?" She plopped down on the couch next to her mother. "Shouldn't you be down at the firm?"

"I finished early," her mother said in a mocking tone. Bella could tell by her facial expression she did not miss the part about it being her last day. "What do you mean by last day?"

"Well I don't work Friday's and I asked for tomorrow off –"

"Oh, for a second there I thought –"

"After that I won't be working there."

Renée Swan looked at her daughter curiously with narrowed eyes as she thought about her next question. "So…you quit?"

"Not exactly."

Renée sighed putting down the papers. "Isabella Swan stop deflecting. I know you're up to something. What happened? What did you do? I thought you liked that place."

"Which place?" She asked scrunching up her face in disgust. Her new job was terrible.

"The art gallery. Where you work."

"Oh I stopped working there like a month ago. I have a new job but I won't be working there for a while," she answered quickly. In actuality she had been fired two weeks into the job. "Maybe…a year. I'll explain things more when dad gets home. I need to talk to you guys together," she said twisting her index and middle finger together. She stood up. "I should go check on Jasper. He's probably eaten half the kitchen by now. Where are Angela and Rachel?" She could tell her mother was getting suspicious by the way her eyes narrowed even further. Bella quickly fled to the kitchen before she could ask any more questions.

Jasper was sitting at the kitchen table with the radio and a plate of leftovers. "Ronald Regan is getting knighted today," he said shoving a spoonful of food in his mouth. "I wonder if we'll get to meet the queen when we're in England."

"Do your parents know?" she asked sitting down across from him.

"About what?" His blue eyes met hers with confusion.

"Europe," she hissed in a loud whisper. "That's what?"

"Of course," he scoffed. "I may be grown but I still tell them these things. They worry. I told them yesterday."

"Did you say anything about me?" she asked looking over her shoulder to the door that separated them from the living room. "Your mom has a big mouth."

"Don't worry," he said waving her off. "I said nothing. They probably suspect anyway. I'm not the only impulsive one. We always get into trouble together. Just because I'm the college drop out who is apparently just wasting daddy's money doesn't mean I orchestrate these outlandish plans." Jasper's mother always complained about his lack of ambition. His parents were certainly disappointed.

"You're crazy."

"And still, I'm not the one who came up with the whole backpacking idea. That was all you." He pointed his fork sassily at her. "I'm just coming to make sure _you_ don't get into too much trouble out there."

Bella sighed dropping her head in her hands. "Well, what's done is done. Besides, I thought you were planning to go to England either way."

Jasper shrugged. "I'd love to see Charlie's face when you say what's done is done."

"Don't remind me," she groaned. She reached down and popped open her pocket watch, which she had worn on a slide chain necklace for the day. "I still have time to come up with a hell of an explanation."

"Good luck with that," Jasper laughed as he shoveled a spoonful of food into his mouth.

.

 **Wednesday June 14** **th** **1989**

 **7:09pm**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"Sweetheart Bella wants to discuss something with us." Renée glanced up at her daughter with a small smile as she cut into her meatloaf.

Charlie had arrived home about an hour and a half before but her mother had seemingly forgotten about their earlier discussion. Or so she thought. Renée Swan never forgot anything. She was simply waiting, as lawyers do, for the moment that was most opportune. In that moment, Bella wished she hadn't asked Jasper not to stay for dinner.

"What is it Bells?" he asked looking curiously at her.

"Mom do we have to do this now?" She said almost whiningly as she glanced pointedly at the twins out of the corner of her eye. The fourteen year olds quieted down, sensing the tension between Bella and their mother.

"Why not now?" she raised a brow. "I thought is wasn't anything bad." Renée Swan always knew when her children were up to something.

Bella sighed placing down her knife and fork. "Mom. Dad." she looked at her mother. "Don't freak out, but I'm taking some time off school. I'm not sure of what I want yet so I'm taking a year off. I've been saving up some money from my jobs and I'm going to backpack across Europe." There was no response from either of her parents.

Renée Swan's face was in a frozen state of shock with her fork held midair and her eyes bulged as if they were about to fall onto the plate in front of her. Across the table, Charles Swan was slowly turning red. His lips were pressed into a tight line and he help on to his knife and fork in a dangerously tight grip.

"I leave on Saturday," she added quickly with a nervous grin.

"What did you say?" her father asked in a slow deliberate voice. "Did she say what I think she said?" He asked his wife.

"I'm not going back to school," she answered bravely squaring her shoulders. "I already talked to my boss. Today was my last day of work and I'm leaving on Saturday. I'm going to London."

"What on earth are you going to do there?" Renée asked in an outraged tone. "Backpacking? Finding yourself? Where did you get these ideas? Was it Jasper?"

"No, I came up with it on my own."

"I can't believe this," Renée said shaking her head. "And exactly where are you going to stay when you get there? How are you going to sustain this year long trip? Do you think about these things Isabella?" She knew Renée was getting serious by the way she said her full first name.

"I already have accommodations," Bella said quickly. She clasped her hands on the table in front of her. "I'll be staying in an Inn outside of London with a very nice lady. Her name is Ms. Elisabeth Acker. I'm working for her in exchange for living accommodations. I sort of have plans for France, and Hungary I will figure out when I get there. I might visit Amsterdam too. It's really easy to get around. I just need a train pass." She looked between her parents' concerned faces. The twins stared nosily between their sibling and their parents waiting for the explosion they knew was coming.

Charlie Swan still had not moved so Bella continued. "I'll leave Ms. Acker's contact information with you and I'll send postcards and I'll call when I can."

"Have you lost your mind?" Charlie finally asked. "Are you seriously telling us that you plan to travel all across Europe by yourself? How is that safe? Do you think it's safe for a 20 year old girl to travel all over by herself with no reliable place to live?"

"Sounds dangerous to me," Angela piped in.

"Dad, I did my research," she explained ignoring her little sister. "I've made calls, I've spoken to people and I read up on it. I'm certainly not the first woman to do it. I'm not a perfect planner but I have most of it down to the second. Besides I won't be alone. Jasper is coming too."

"I knew it," her mother hissed, pounding a fist on the table. "I knew he was involved. He has made nothing of his life and now he's going to drag you down with him. I knew that boy was a bad influence. You're not the most responsible person and he is even worse."

"Mom it was my idea," Bella said exasperatedly. "And it's already done. I'm leaving on Saturday whether you and dad like it or not. I may not be super responsible but that's the point. I think it'll help be build character and have a better understanding of myself or something."

"Whether we like it or not." Her mother chuckled humorlessly. "I…I don't even know what to say to that Charles."

"Bells," her dad said shaking his head. "I really don't like this."

"I just…I need to do this," she said beseechingly. "Can you guys please support me in this? I promise nothing bad will happen. I have Jasper and we're both adults. Please, let me just do this. Think of it as me growing up."

"But Barnard –"

"Barnard can wait," Bella said cutting her off. "It's only a year and then I'll go back to college. It will be there when I get back. By then I'll figure out what I want to do. I know I'm interested in bettering my French and I plan on spending some time in France to do that. I'm good but I could be better. It will help with my studies."

Renée looked at her husband and they seemed to be having a silent conversation with their eyes. Finally they looked at their eldest daughter. Although they were sometimes hard on her, it was simply because they wanted success for their children. Her irresponsible behavior often worried them.

"Okay," Renée said. "We don't agree with this, but we will try to be supportive because I know you'll do it anyway. You're too…you."

"Thanks," Bella said gratefully, sitting back in her chair with a satisfied smile. "That's all I ask."

"We want details though," Renée said pointing her fork. "And phone numbers."

"I promise. I'll go over all of it with you," she said grinning triumphantly. "Every last detail."

* * *

 **Review please! You will get a preview of the next chapter and maybe I'll update tomorrow.**

 **I have this mostly written. I will post as often as I can.**

 **As for my other two stories, I will be finishing them.**


	3. Chapter 2: Resfeber

**_Resfeber (n.)_** _The restless race of the traveller's heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together; a 'travel fever' that can manifest as an illness_

* * *

 **Saturday June 17** **th** **1989**

 **John F. Kennedy International Airport**

 **10:00 am**

"Alright Bells, don't forget to call."

"Yes dad."

"And send postcards."

"Yes mom"

"I can't believe you're leaving," Renée said, engulfing her daughter in what was probably the tenth hug since they arrived at the airport. "You're my little girl. Why a year? Why not six months? Or one month?"

Bella remembered the day she decided she wanted to be a backpacker. It was the summer of 1978 and she was in the backseat of her parents' car. They were driving back to her grandparents' house where her brother and twin sisters had stayed behind.

There were two people on the side of the road flagging down the car. After her parent's picked them up, she had learned that they were backpacking and they had been all over Europe. She looked at them with awe, her nine year old mind trying to grasp what that meant. These people were cool and rock star-like. She wanted to be like them. Lugging her backpack across countries and seeing all the places they described in great detail.

 _"We were just in Paris last week and now we are in the beautiful English countryside. This is the life! I feel free!" His green eyes sparkled with happiness as his hair blew in the wind from the open window. "Woohoo," he yelled slightly sticking his head out the window similarly to how a dog in a car would._

"I'll be back before you know it." Bella removed herself from Renée's grip to embrace her father again. "Bye dad."

"I'll miss you," Charlie said with an unusual amount of emotion in his voice. He wasn't a particularly outwardly affectionate person, but Bella knew he loved his family deeply.

"I'll miss you too Dad," she murmured into his chest.

Jasper moved closer to their huddled group with his arms outstretched. "Bye Mrs. S." Renée looked reluctant, but she embraced him anyway. She still believed he was the reason for her daughter leaving and she had not forgiven him yet.

"Bye Rachel," Bella hugged her younger sister before moving on to her twin. "Bye Angela. I'll miss you guys."

"Bring us back lots of gifts," Angela said with a small giggle. "We'll miss you."

"I will…maybe," Bella teased. "I'll miss you guys too."

 _"Flight 713 destined to London Heathrow is now boarding."_

"That's us," Bella said looking up at Jasper.

"This is it Bells," he said with a wide grin. "We're going out into the world to become adults."

"Don't do anything too crazy," Renée said cupping her cheek. "Be careful Bella and don't let that bozo lead you astray." Renée looked warily at Jasper, who was fighting with the straps on his backpack. She probably would have been slightly more at ease had it been just Bella traveling.

Bella chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Believe me Mom, I won't."

"I love you." She moved a lock of hair out of Bella's face.

"Love you too Mom. Bye guys!"

"Bye!"

Bella turned and walked to the counter handing her boarding pass to the gate attendant. She waved one last time before heading to the plane. Renée and Charlie stood with arms wrapped around each other looking at their daughter as she started her adventure.

.

 **June 17** **th** **1989**

 **Somewhere over the Atlantic**

 **Time TBA**

"I can't believe we're actually going to London. You're so lucky you've been there before," Jasper gushed. "What time is it?"

Bella looked up from her book and turned lazily toward him. "I swear, you asked me this five minutes ago."

Jasper stared at her expectantly.

She popped open her pocket watch with a groan. "It's 4:07 pm back home," she said slowly and deliberately. "So that's 7:07 pm in London."

"This is taking forever," he groaned, rubbing his palms against his thighs. "My palms are sweating.

Bella rolled her eyes and returned to her travel book. She wanted to be as prepared as she could possibly be. It helped with the nervousness she felt. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Who _are_ you meeting in London, by the way?" Jasper had casually dropped the bomb on her two days before. He would apparently be meeting with some friends and would be gone for the first week of their trip. Bella would spend the week working with Ms. Acker doing a little exploring. She did not, however, want to do too much without her friend.

"Just some friends," he replied nonchalantly with a wave of his hand. He avoided looking her in the eye and seemed to suddenly find the seat in front of him very interesting. "Don't worry about it."

"Why would I be worried?" she asked sarcastically. "It's not like my best friend is running off for a week to meet up with a mysterious group of, European I presume, _friends_. What is going on? How do you have friends there? Are they from when you were in college back home?"

"I…knew them before," he sighed scratching an imaginary itch. "It's nothing to worry about. We're just catching up. I don't want to take you there because some of them are a little…I don't know. It's fine though. Don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."

.

 **June 17** **th** **1989**

 **London Heathrow**

 **11:40 pm**

"Jasper, my passport," Bella gasped rummaging through her purse. "I must have dropped it somewhere. Maybe on the plane?"

"We could go back and look for it," he suggested leading her back inside the airport. Neither knew exactly where they are going or how to get back to the airplane. When they finally found someone to ask they were led back to the airplane and Bella's passport was nowhere to be found.

"Oh my god," Bella groaned. "What am I going to do?" She was starting to believe her parents were right about her being too irresponsible to travel on her own.

"A temporary one can be issued to you Miss," an attendant told them. He went on to explain the process to her and how she could go about getting new documents.

When they finally got outside the terminal, Bella and Jasper met by a tall, lanky blonde man holding a paper with Bella's name. The man introduced himself as Ms. Acker's brother. "Pleased to meet you," he said, taking Bella's hand in his spidery grasp. "Will you be joining us?" he asked, eyeing Jasper suspiciously.

"Oh, me?" Jasper asked, pointing to himself as if he was expecting Mr. Acker to be speaking to someone else. "Nah dude. I'm actually meeting up with some friends, but I'll stop by the inn in about a week. Tell Ms. Acker I'll see her then."

"You know Elisabeth?" He sounded extremely surprised.

"How do you think she found out about Bells here?" He winked and nudged Mr. Acker lightly with his elbow. The older man seemed very discomforted by the exchange. He forced a polite smile and turned back to Bella.

"Will that be all Miss Swan?"

"Bye Jazz," she said reaching up to hug him goodbye. "Don't get into any trouble."

"I'll try not to. It's only a few days," he said, cupping her cheek. "I'll be back before you know it. I'll call you."

The car ride to the Acker's Inn started out as a quiet one. Bella looked out at the bustling London night with awe. She had been out of the states many times before when she was younger and the family went on vacations, but this was completely different. She was alone and free and she had many new discoveries to make. She couldn't wait to see where this trip brought her.

She looked on in amazement at Big Ben in the distance.

"Where in America are you from?" Mr. Acker asked breaking the silence.

"I'm from New York City."

"The city that never sleeps," he chuckled.

"Have you been?"

"No," he said simply. The slipped back into a comfortable silence.

"What brings you to London?"

"I just wanted to get out," she said suddenly feeling very embarrassed. She was self-conscious of how he would view her decision. It felt silly now that she had to explain it out loud. "See the world, you know? I hear it's better to do when you're young."

"I can imagine," he mused. "Why England?"

"It's just the first leg of my journey," she answered. "In time, I will probably make it as far as Ukraine or Norway. Who knows? I'll see how it goes. Plus this place has sentimental value. We used to visit my grandparents every Christmas and some summers as well."

"Your grandparents were English?"

"Yes, on my mother's side," she answered. "They passed a few years back. Our visits were less frequent by then."

"Sorry to hear that."

"I always liked it here though."

Mr. Acker simply hummed and that was the he said nothing more for the rest of the ride.

They pulled into a quaint dimly lit driveway not long after. Bella sat up in anticipation. She always got a bit anxious when meeting new people. "Here we are," Mr. Acker said. "Elisabeth is probably waiting anxiously by the door."

Mr. Acker opened his door and got out, getting Bella's for her. She grabbed her backpack on the seat next to her and slipped out of the car as he retrieved her duffle from the trunk.

"Welcome to the Acker's Inn." She followed him up to the door. There was a stonewashed hand-painted sign over the door that read _Acker's Inn_.

They stepped into what appeared to be the front desk area of the small but elegant Inn. He dropped her duffle near the door and made his way behind the counter, rummaging around until he found something. As he came back towards her Bella realized it was a key. "This is the key to your room." He pointed to the staircase.

"Thank you," she murmured, pocketing the key.

"Elisabeth and I live in the house at the back." With that, he turned and headed down the hallway. She scurried after him, leaving her duffle for when she returned. They made their way out the back door and headed to a small house down a short road.

The door flung open and Bella saw a silhouette of a small woman in the doorway. "Back already?" she called.

"Yes, the ride was a bit shorter than I remembered," Mr. Acker answered as they approached. He walked around her and into the house.

"Well, come on dear," Mr. Acker said beckoning Bella inside. "Let me have a look at you." She stepped back, observing Bella. Mrs. Acker, a diminutive woman with kind eyes had her graying hair pulled back into a loose bun. Her hair may have once been a shade of brown similar to Bella's mahogany locks.

"She's just a little thing Richard." Her gray eyes sparkled with maternal care. "I thought she would be older. How old are you dear?"

"Twenty, I…uh make twenty-one in September."

"And she came so far out," she tsked packing her hands on her hips. "She's alone you know."

"She's not alone," Mr. Acker, who she now knew was Richard, called. "There's a boy with her. A strange lad, that one."

Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes. "It was Jasper. He'll be here next week."

"Oh Jasper," she said with realization. "He's the one you're traveling with." She placed an arm around Bella's shoulder steering her to another room. "Where will you be going?"

"We want to head east. I think Amsterdam is next and then Germany. But we plan to head to Hungary. Jasper knows some people there," she said. "When he gets back we'll take the train."

"That sounds nice," she sighed. "I wish I was more adventurous in my youth."

Mr. Acker was sitting in their small living room watching television. He barely glanced up when they entered. "You're going to stay in a room in the Inn. While you're here I will mainly need help with cleaning and bookkeeping. I'm sure you are able to handle that."

"Of course," Bella said sincerely. "I'm so thankful that you are letting me stay here."

"It's no problem dear." She patted Bella's arm. "I'll go fetch your supper. Sit down and watch some Telly."

After Bella finished eating Mrs. Acker walked her back to the Inn where she retrieved her bag and headed to her room. The room was small but cozy and Bella liked it immediately. Mrs. Acker informed her that she needed to be up early if she wanted breakfast.

.

* * *

 **June 29** **th** **1989**

 **Acker's Inn**

 **11:48 am**

A week had passed and Bella had seen no sign of Jasper nor had she heard from him. She spent the entirety of the time working with the Acker's. This was not how she had planned to spend her trip, but she had plenty of time to see things. She hoped Jasper would hurry back so they could explore London together.

"Isabella," Mr. Acker called. "Elisabeth says lunch will be ready soon."

Bella looked up from her work. She had been rewriting some of the Acker's old records. Most of their records were outdated or not kept well. She was hoping to get everything properly organized before she left.

"I'll be right there," She yelled. She closed the book she was working on and got up, stretching her sore muscles.

The bell on the door rang, indicating someone had come in, just as she was about to leave.

A tall bronze-haired man in a suit was standing in the doorway across the room. He held a briefcase and a small bag and he looked a bit confused.

"Is this the Acker's place?" he asked with a slight accent that sounded almost French to Bella.

"Yes it is," she answered. "You have the right place."

"Good," he said with a polite smile. He walked towards her until he was standing across from her at the counter. "I would like to check in?"

Bella couldn't help but notice that his eyes were a beautiful shade of green and when he spoke his mouth moved in a very interesting way. It was oddly sexual. His voice was also very smooth and it made her stomach flutter.

 _Maybe he's a singer,_ she thought. _He sounds like he would have a nice soulful voice. Maybe a bit like –"_

"Are you alright?"

Bella snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh what? Check in? Yeah."

He chuckled. The sound made her dizzy. " I called a few days ago. My name is Edward Caron."

"Uh…" she hastily sifted through some papers on the desk in front of her looking for her notepad. "Oh yes," she said finding his name scribbled in a corner on a page. She really needed to get things organized. "Mr. Caron. Two nights?"

"Yes."

"Great," she giggled and let out an embarrassing snort. Bella wanted to disappear.

"Ok," he smiled. "If we could just…" He gestured to the counter.

They went through the check in process, he paid and she gave him his key. "It's on the second floor at the end of the hallway."

"Thank you Miss…"

"It's Swan," she said quickly. "Isabella Swan."

"Miss Isabella Swan," he repeated with a smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"Yep," Bella said with a nervous laugh. "That's me."

After he left Bella felt like slapping herself. _That's me?_ "What is wrong with me?" she groaned throwing up her arms in defeat.

"I haven't the slightest idea."

Bella jumped about a foot in the air, turning around to find Mr. Acker in the doorway staring at her with an amused smile. "You scared me."

"So I see," he said dryly. "I came to see what was keeping you."

"A guest came," she explained pointing to the door. "I had to check him in."

"Oh okay," he said. "Well, come on then." She followed him out the door and to the Acker house.

"Do you or Mr. Acker have any kids?" Bella asked, a few minutes into lunch. They had been talking about her parents and her being abroad.

Mrs. Acker's head quickly snapped up and she had a look in her eye that almost seemed like fear. There was also grief there as well. "No," she said softly averting her eyes. "I don't have any children and neither does Richard. It's just us. It's been that way for quite some time. Richard moved back to the family home to help with the Inn some years ago."

Bella decided not to pursue that line of questioning further. The question seemed to have made Elisabeth Acker very uncomfortable, though her brother seemed unbothered. She simply nodded and went back to her food.

"I want to go out and see more of London tomorrow," Bella said changing the subject. "I was supposed to wait for Jasper…but I don't know. He hasn't called." When she spoke to her mother on the phone the day before she had asked about Jasper. Bella realized then that he should have been back. It was strange that he seemingly vanished without as much as a phone call. She debated telling her mother, but decided against it in fear of worrying their parents unnecessarily.

"That sounds splendid," Mrs. Acker said cheerfully.

"There won't be much to do here tomorrow anyway," Richard Acker said. "It should be a slow day. You _should_ go out and explore. Forget the silly boy."

The Acker's went on to explain to her how to get around and what sites were worth seeing. They had a lot to say about London and the surrounding areas. It was nice to have the advice of people who really knew the city.

She couldn't help the uneasy feeling that would not leave her stomach. Bella had a bad feeling about Jasper.

* * *

 **Review and let me know what you think! I love reading reviews and I will provide reviewers with previews of the next chapter _and_ Chapter 3 will come a lot quicker as well.**

 **And yes, that was** ** _the_** **Edward.**

 **P.S. I added a prologue! I figured it would help people get a better understanding of where this is going. Sorry if this is confusing.**


	4. Chapter 3: Solivagant

**_Solivagant (adj.)_** _Wandering alone_

* * *

 **June 30, 1989**

 **Near the Acker's Inn**

 **5:03 pm**

Bella walked down the small still road that led to the Acker's. She arrived back to the Inn a lot sooner than she intended. Bella spent her morning exploring around London, but decided to return early since it was her first day in the city and she had enough time. She had managed to see Big Ben and some other famous touristy sights, but something was obviously missing. There were a lot of things she and Jasper had intended to do together. Wandering around London alone was not what she imagined it would be.

"Miss Swan?" Bella turned to find Edward Caron striding a few paces behind her impeccably dressed in a dark suit with a fedora on his head. He was the picture of a young, handsome, businessman with his expensive looking briefcase.

"Hi Mr. Caron," she called with a dainty wave. Her face heated, remembering their embarrassing first encounter the day before. "Heading back?"

"I thought that was you getting off the bus," he said as he caught up.

"Oh really. I didn't even see you." She certainly did not. Bella's mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of Jasper. Not knowing where he was and if he was okay was really troubling.

They strolled in pace with each other. He was quiet for a moment and she could tell he was searching for something to say. "So tell me," he said conversationally. "What brings to England?"

She took on a teasing tone. "Brings me here? How do you know I'm not from here?"

"The accent Miss Swan," he pointed out dryly.

"Oh yeah," she laughed, feeling stupid. She placed her hand over her mouth as if that would hide the accent. "Speaking of accents where are you from?"

"I am a Frenchman," he answered playfully. "I am here on business. Now back to you." The Frenchman was smooth and had a way with words.

"I'm American, obviously," she said pointing at herself. "I'm backpacking across Europe."

He let out a loud laugh. "What? Is that funny?" she asked, feeling a little self-conscious.

"No, I just wasn't expecting that," he laughed waving her off. "I should have but I didn't."

"What do you mean you should have?"

"With my business," he explained. "I meet a lot of backpackers or people just passing through France looking for work. I apologize for laughing. It is a strange situation for me. Something in my head."

"Oh okay," she said looking at him inquisitively. He seemed a bit bizarre. She supposed it might have been a French thing.

"Where are you off to next?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "It was supposed to be Paris at first but that might come later."

"Plans changed?" Edward seemed genuinely interested.

"Kind of," she said, thinking of Jasper. "My friend was supposed to meet me and we would have gone together."

"Oh. How long are you in Europe for?"

"Maybe a year."

"Well, you have time."

"Yeah, but I have to go to France anyway. I had something lined up to do. I don't need to be there until August or September though."

"Well, you have time and if the friend doesn't come go without her." He suggested as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"I guess I will have to do that," she sighed. They were both silent for a while. "Where in France do you live?"

"Dordogne. Do you know where that is?"

"I don't."

"I figured," he laughed. "Are you just staying in Paris?"

"No, I'm going somewhere near Bordeaux I think." Bella had a picking job lined up for when she got there she would be staying with a family.

"Ah," he said. "I am not very far from there."

"Maybe we might run into each other again," she joked. The Acker's place came into view.

"Perhaps we will," he said with a light shrug. "It is a small world. You never know who you will run into. Good luck Miss Swan."

Edward left the Inn early the next morning. Bella saw him from her second floor window as he entered his hired car and rode off into the distance.

* * *

 **Friday July 7** **th** **1989**

 **Acker's Inn**

 **9:00 am**

Bella folded her last pair of pants and stuffed it into her duffle bag. She had stayed in London much longer than she had wanted to and she was ready for the next leg of her journey. She could no longer wait for Jasper.

Although she was worried about him, something in her gut told her he was okay. He had to be okay. He undoubtedly got into something and either lost track of or disregarded the time. She opened up her worn map looking at what was supposed to be their next stop.

Paris, France.

If he came back to find her, the Acker's would tell him where she went. She couldn't sit around and wait on him forever. If a month passed and she has not heard from him, she'll let their parents know.

There was a knock at her door.

"Are you all packed?" Ms. Acker asked as she opened the door.

"Uh…" she looked over her shoulder. "Yeah. Just about."

"Good." Ms. Acker smiled. "Richard wanted to leave at about half past nine, but now…"

"What is it?" The woman had an expression that was a mixture of apprehension and delight.

"There's a young man here to see you. He said he goes by, what was it? _Jazz_?" Ms. Acker asked playfully. She had made it known in the past few days that she believed Bella should wait on Jasper. She had been very worried about Bella travelling on her own.

"Oh my god," Bella gasped. She dropped the map and ran passed Ms. Acker and down the stairs to the lobby.

"Jasper?" she yelled as she reached the last step.

Jasper Whitlock stood in the lobby alongside Mr. Acker. They were engrossed in conversation and both men looked up at Bella's frantic entrance. "Hey Babe," he said with a grin. "Missed me?"

Bella gasped, taking a step back once she finally noticed Jasper's face.

There was a dark purple bruise under Jasper's left eye. His bottom lip was swollen and looked like it had been split open recently. "Oh my God Jasper!"

Bella hurried towards him taking his face in her hands. "What happened to you?"

"It's nothing," he said trying to pull away from her fluttering hands. "I fell coming off a train. It's not a big deal. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Anger flooded through Bella. Not only was Jasper missing for weeks, he is now blatantly lying to her. They never lied to each other. As if it had a mind of its own her hand came up and her palm connected with Jasper's face with a loud smack.

"I can't believe you," she hissed. "Where the hell have you been and what are you involved in?"

He sighed, taking a step back shifting his gaze to the Acker's who looked on with identical shocked expressions. "I'll tell you later alright? It's not a big deal though."

Jasper and Bella stuck around for six more hours. They made a quick trip around the city before returning back to the Inn. Bella couldn't hide her disappointment in Jasper. A few weeks into their trip and things were not going as planned. And in the worst way possible. The trip felt like less of an adventure and more of a babysitting job where the babysitter loses the child. It angered her even more that he was pretending like his disappearance was a non-issue.

Bella began giving him the silent treatment eventually. She considered him a traitor that shouldn't have the pleasure of conversing with her. He had a lot of making up to do. She stayed mostly quiet as he joked with the Acker's while they tried to ignore the giant bruises on his face. When it was time to leave she felt an odd relief.

"Goodbye dears," Ms. Acker said, embracing Bella and Jasper, as they got ready to leave the Inn for the next leg of their journey. "It was nice having you here and I will see you when you return."

"Thanks for having me. It was a real help."

"It was no problem at all," Mr. Acker said. "We should get going. We wouldn't want you to miss your train."

* * *

 **Review and you will get a preview! Let me know what you are feeling about this story. The chapter was short but another will be coming very soon.**

 **Of course they will meet again. But how soon? We shall see. ;)**


	5. Chapter 4: Saudade

**Happy Christmas to those who celebrate!**

 **This chapter offers some transition and Bella and Jasper meet an interesting new character. The story really picks up after this. Some things are really important for later though.**

 **P.S. I added a prologue! I figured it would help people get a better understanding of where this is going. Sorry if this is confusing, but it should clear things up.**

* * *

 ** _Saudade (n.)_** _A nostalgic longing to be near again to something or someone that is distant, or that has been loved and then lost; "the love that remains"_

* * *

 **August 12, 1989**

 **Budapest, Hungary**

 **5:28 pm**

Jasper and Bella were among the last people to debark the train. They were greeted by a small group of people standing outside and speaking quickly to departing passengers. They appeared to be trying to persuade them.

Over the past weeks Bella and Jasper had visited many European cities and their travel had now brought them to Budapest, Hungary. Jasper had been particularly excited to visit there for reasons unknown to Bella.

Jasper craned his neck as they approached the crowd. "Are you looking for someone?" Bella asked, noticing what he was doing.

"Yeah," he answered absentmindedly. "Remember how I told you we had somewhere to stay?"

"Yeah?"

"Well that somewhere is with one of them." He gestured to the group of people in front of them.

"Szeretnél valahol maradni?" a small woman asked as they passed. Jasper hastily shook his head, still peering above the crowd.

"Well are you looking for someone in particular?" Bella asked noticing that he was ignoring most of the people.

"A friend of mine told be about a man," he answered. Bella gave him an incredulous look not trusting any of his _friends._ Especially since the black-eye incident that he refused to discuss even though he promised he would explain. "A doctor. He's usually here and – oh, I think that might be him!"

A man stood on the far side of the station away from them. He too, was approaching travellers. Jasper hastily made his way towards him with Bella following behind.

"Te doktor Klein?" he asked the man as they approached.

"Igen," he answered. "Are you Americans?" He looked at them with curiosity. The man was of average height with graying blonde hair. His English sounded impeccable from the very few words he spoke. Bella noticed what sounded like a slight a slight English accent.

"Yes."

"You must be looking for a place to stay." He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jacket, regarding the two travelers curiously.

"We are," said Jasper. "Our friend Elisabeth told me about you." This calmed Bella's nerves. Ms. Acker is a thousand times more trustworthy than one of Jasper's other _friends_.

Dr. Klein's blue eyes twinkled in understanding. "I think I know exactly who you are speaking of. Please, call me Carlisle."

"Nice to meet you Carlisle. I'm Jasper." Jasper held out his hand for him to shake. "And this is my friend Isabella Swan."

Bella fought the urge to roll her eyes at his use of her full given name. "It's nice to meet you."

The people around them started to dissipate as the train finally left the station.

"Well, Menjünk!" Carlisle said, clapping his hands together. He turned to leave the station and Bella and Jasper followed behind assuming whatever he said meant that they should follow.

He led them to his parked car where they loaded their backpacks into the trunk before following him. "You are backpackers?"

"Yes."

He nodded his head knowingly. "Quite a few travellers come in. People wait at the station to offer a place for travellers to stay for a small price."

Bella found it curious that he was there. If he was a doctor surely he made enough.

"What kind of doctor are you?" She asked, making conversation. "My dad is a doctor too."

"I used to be a general physician," he answered simply. He smiled at her through the rearview mirror with kind tired eyes that were full of wisdom from life's experiences. "I don't practice medicine anymore though." His voice almost sounded sad.

Not long after, the pulled up to a modest looking house. "This is it. It's not a lot, but it's home."

He helped Bella with her bag while she followed with Jasper who carried his own. The inside of the house was very tidy and well decorated. She wondered if there was a Mrs. Klein.

"I live alone," he said, unintentionally answering her unasked question. "Your bedroom is down that way. It is the last door."

After Bella and Jasper settled in their shared room they rejoined Carlisle in the living room. They chatted about their trip and Jasper seemed reluctant to say very much. He was deep in thought and left most of the talking to Bella and the doctor.

"We are going around to see the city tomorrow."

"You should visit the Opera house. The Basilica is nice too," he said pensively. "Oh, and Memento Park. That's one to see now."

"That sounds great." Bella pulled out her notebook and started making note of his suggestions.

Carlisle started dinner and Bella joined him as he taught her how to make a traditional Hungarian dish. She noticed Jasper had disappeared once again. When dinner was ready, he reemerged and barely touched his food. Something was seriously wrong with her friend.

Carlisle moved to the living room after dinner with a newspaper and a cup of tea.

"There is a lot of political drama in the country at the moment," he said taking a sip of his coffee. He didn't seem to be talking directly to her. He was simply musing.

Bella looked around the small living room, taking in her surroundings. She noticed that Carlisle Klein didn't have many personal items such as photographs. The only things that gave away much about his self was his collection of books and various trinkets that came from an array of places.

"Do you travel a lot?" Bella asked.

"I used to," he said, his eyes lighting up as he leaned forward. "I was very adventurous in my youth. Oh, the places I've been. I was like you once."

"Really?" she asked, her curiosity was piqued. "Where did you go?"

"Where didn't I go. I've been to all the continents, except Antarctica. I went bird watching in the Galapagos. I used to live in Sierra Leone and I practiced medicine there. I even, as cliché as it sounds, fell in love in France."

"Wow," she said in awe. "Was it Paris?"

"Not that clichéd," he laughed. "Her name was Essie and we met not far from Lyon. She had the most amazing green eyes and copper colored hair. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. I knew very quickly that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. Essie was smart, funny and quick-witted and she was everything I wanted in a wife. Someone to spend forever with." He had a nostalgic look on his face.

"That sounds so romantic."

He sighed, putting down his mug. "It was. At least, while it lasted. I let her get away. She was perfect. I didn't believe in soul mates, but when I met her I knew. We just bumped into each other. She spoke very little English, but that was fine because I went to school in France as a boy. I am fluent in the language." He rubbed his chin as the memories came back to him. "It was a summer before I went to medical school. We did everything and went everywhere together. We ran off to Paris together for an entire week and her parents were livid when we came back. They didn't know about me."

"Was that the last time you saw her?"

"No," Carlisle said. "The last time was at the end of the next summer. We were fighting. She said she never wanted to see me again and that was the last we saw of each other. Our families didn't approve and she didn't want to be secret lovers. We both said things that we regretted later." He rubbed his eyes, possibly holding back tears. "Essie called me at my home in England a few months after but I turned her away. She said she had something to say, but I didn't want to hear it. To this day, I wish I had listened. I still hear her voice. She sounded so broken. It was probably her grandmother's passing. They were so close."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he said sadly. "I was foolish. I let her get away. She probably married someone and had children by now. Hopefully she's happy and well."

Bella nodded sadly, hoping the same.

"Just remember," Carlisle said looking indulgently at her. "If you find the right one, don't let him get away."

"I won't," she said with a smile.

"Good." He picked up his paper. "Now, enough of this depressing stuff. What about you? You're headed to France?"

"Burgundy," she answered. "I'm going to pick grapes. I don't have to be there until sometime in October though."

"Burgundy," he murmured. "To pick grapes. Sounds like an adventure."

"Have you been in that area?"

He regarded her silently for a few seconds. He was deep in thought. "Once or twice I think. The wine is exquisite though."

"So I hear."

"Well you should hear about the time I went to Bordeaux." Carlisle continued with fascinating stories of his youth and his time spent travelling. He had seen so much and lived a very fulfilling life, but Bella could tell there was still something missing.

The next day found Bella and Jasper exploring Budapest. "That Dr. Klein is an interesting man isn't he?" Jasper asked as they exited an old church. Jasper carried his backpack with him while Bella only carried a small purse that contained maps, tickets and a small disposable camera.

"He most certainly is," she said, thinking back to their late night conversation. "I can't believe he's originally from England."

"Yeah. I wonder what he's doing all the way in Hungary."

"Who knows? He's been everywhere. Maybe he liked her for his permanent home."

Jasper hummed in agreement. "Where to next?" He fiddled with the camera that hung around his neck. Bella noticed the expensive looking camera and absentmindedly wondered where it came from. She didn't even know he owned one.

"Uh…Memento Park," she said after pulling out her map and checking the small notation. "Carlisle suggested it. Then some more historic stuff."

"History," he groaned with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "Great." He snapped a quick picture of her, causing her to blink in surprise.

"Hey I wasn't ready!" she whined lightly shoving his arm.

He laughed boisterously causing an older woman to regard them with trepidation. "Those are the best ones."

"Come on you bozo." She grabbed his arm, pulling him in the direction they were supposed to go. "You're scaring people." She knew something was going on with him. Jasper's behavior had been very strange in the past days. He was the one that suggested Budapest and now he gave the impression that he had no interest in being there. She couldn't figure out why he wanted to visit there so badly in the first place.

"We have a lot of time before October, where should we go next?" she asked, linking their arms together.

"I was thinking about Italy," he said. "And Croatia. I think the InterRail goes there."

"Italy," she repeated with a grin imagining the fun they would have. "I love the sound of that."

* * *

 **Review and recommend if you like it please! I know exactly where I am taking this and it should be interesting.**

 **Translations**

Te doktor Klein? – Are you Dr. Klein?

Igen – yes

Menjünk! – Let's go!


	6. Chapter 5: Cockaigne

**_Cockaigne (n.)_** _An imaginary land of luxury and idleness._

* * *

 **Wednesday, September 13, 1989**

 **Paris, France**

 **8:47 am**

 _"Happy birthday to you…Happy birthday too yooouu…Happy Birthday…"_ Bella sleepily blinked open her eyes to the sound of Jasper's off-key singing.

 _"Happy Birthday…Happy birthday to yooouuu!"_

Bella smiled at his gesture, sitting up in bed and hugging her knees to her chest. "What's with all the noise Jazz?" she asked teasingly. Her voice was still heavy with sleep.

"My favorite girl has a birthday today." He walked towards her, planting a kiss on her forehead. She smelled alcohol on his breath and she knew it was fresh. Why he was drinking so early in the morning? She had no idea.

"What time is it?" she groaned, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She regretted drinking as much as she did the night before, but Jasper had insisted. They had made it back to the hostel fairly late the previous night. Jasper maintained that they had to go out for drinks.

"Like 8:45-ish," he answered with a shrug, getting off of her bed.

"Since when do you wake up so early?" She leaned back against the iron bed head trying to wake herself up.

"Since it's September 13th and you are now a twenty-one year old woman."

"Twenty-one," she mused. "It sounds so old, doesn't it?"

"Hey! I'm twenty-one and I am far from old."

"You know what I mean," she said rolling her eyes. "Time is passing by so quickly. I don't feel any older, though." She threw her legs over the side of the bed, getting up and stretching her tired muscles.

"Time _is_ passing by quickly. It's almost nine and we have things to do. Get ready Bells."

Bella headed into the small bathroom inside their shared room. She washed her face and started the shower.

In the past weeks she and Jasper had many adventures. After they left Hungary she noticed that the old Jasper began to emerge once again. They visited Croatia and Slovenia then they explored the Italian countryside and even made their way to Rome to see the Colosseum. She even managed to lose Jasper for almost the entirety of a day. When he returned, he reverted back to his strange behavior. After they left Italy they made their way to Switzerland before going on to France.

Now, Jasper was leaving. They originally agreed that he would stay until December and then go home in time for Christmas, but shortly after they left Hungary, Jasper informed her that he had changed his mind. She knew it had something to do with his disappearance and his black eye, but he still denied it vehemently.

She was angry with him at first, but then she decided it did not matter. This trip had taught her a great deal about Jasper and one of the things she learned was that he was not a very good friend. He had his outstanding moments, but lately she was seeing another side to him.

After she was showered and dressed reentered the room where Jasper was seated at the edge of his bed.

"So, Eiffel Tower today?"

"Yep," he grinned, looking very excited. "What better day to see it than on your birthday. Plus we haven't really done any touristy things. Today should be the day."

"This year is the 100th anniversary you know." She opened her backpack sifting through all of her train passes, maps and tickets to find her map of Paris. "Well March was the actual anniversary month, but you get the idea."

"Really?" he asked with a raised brow in fascination. "No better time than now to visit then."

 **Wednesday, September 13, 1989**

 **Paris, France**

 **11:42 am**

Bella was barely concentrating on what Jasper was saying once they got to the Eiffel Tower. Jasper said something about questions and elevators before heading to an information booth. There was a man in the crowd that caught Bella's attention.

He seemed oddly familiar.

Bella watched as the man ran a hand through his golden brown hair gesturing animatedly to the red-headed woman next to him. Their attention turned to what she assumed was either a child or a very small person. She couldn't be sure due to the crowd around her. The woman smiled down indulgently at what was likely a child.

Something about the man she was with seemed familiar. It might have been the strange hue of his hair. Maybe he was someone famous. An actor? She craned her neck, hoping he would turn around so she could see his face and know for sure.

Where had she seen him before?

"Okay, I think I got it," Jasper said, as he returned with newfound information. Bella looked away from the couple, her eyes meeting his.

"What?"

"I was thinking we could take the stairs," he said. "Where's the fun in riding an elevator to the top? We should take the stairs. I think it will build character. We definitely need more of that."

Bella laughed as he led her in the opposite direction towards the line for the steps. She looked back as they went trying to find the man, but he seemed to have disappeared.

Jasper made silly jokes on their way up the stairs. He would over exaggerate his breathing and shout random words in different languages, much to the annoyance and amusement of the other climbers. Halfway up the steps, Bella began to feel very light-headed. "Oh my God Jasper," she wheezed. "Do you have any water. My head is spinning."

Jasper turned back towards her hunched over form. She placed her palms on her thighs, trying to will her head to stop spinning.

"Are you afraid of heights Bells?"

"I don't think so. I was fine when I visited the Empire State Building with my family."

"It's probably just vertigo."

"Yeah I think it is." Bella started climbing again. "Come on, we're almost to the first level. I'll stop there and sit down for a while."

Bella ended up opting out of climbing the rest of the tower, letting Jasper go on without her. She didn't think she could handle going all the way to the top of the tower. He spent the entire walk back down, gushing about what she missed and the pictures he took.

They found a café new the Eiffel Tower and sat down for lunch. "I feel so French," Jasper chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee. She noticed he didn't touch his food. He didn't seem to have much of an appetite lately. "Look at us sitting outside and drinking coffee. French idleness at its best."

"You probably sound like a typical boisterous American to them." His voice was obnoxiously loud in comparison to the other patrons.

Jasper shrugged unworriedly. "So, I have to talk to you about something." His tone had suddenly gone serious causing Bella's stomach to roll in apprehension. She was afraid of what he might say next. Was it related to his black eye and strange behavior?

She hoped he was finally going to open up to her.

"What is it?" She tried to keep her voice even.

He took a deep breath, shaking his leg agitatedly. "I feel bad that I'm not going to go grape picking in southern France with you."

Bella sat up straighter placing down her cup of chocolat chaud. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. "Look, Bells I know I said can't stay for a whole year, but I feel bad. You can't go around by yourself. Plus I'm leaving right after you leave for Burgundy. Maybe I should wait for December."

She looked at her friend thoughtfully, thinking about what she was about to say. "I can't say I'm surprised you feel that way." They had spoken at length about his eventual departure. Although they had told her parents they were traveling abroad for a year, what they had really meant was Bella. Staying a year was never a part of Jasper's original plan.

"Why?"

"It was nice that you came with me Jasper, but I think I'm at a point where I can continue on my own. The whole point of this trip was self-discovery and, to be honest, I think I'm ready for the next step. I can take care of myself."

She was done. She couldn't care less if he stayed or left. His presence no longer mattered. In fact, she wanted him to go home.

"I'm sorry Bells." He looked at her incredulously. She knew that he wasn't as passionate about the trip as she was and that he basically only came for her benefit. It would have been tougher to convince her parents if it had been just her.

Bella had always been told that she was very free-spirited and never afraid to tackle a challenge. Backpacking was something she had desperately wanted to do for a long time and she would continue whether Jasper was there or not.

She reached for his hand across the table. "Don't be. I'll be fine. I am fine"

"I feel bad for wanting to leave. Your parents will be pissed."

"You were never staying for the whole trip anyway," she said squeezing his hand. "What's the difference between leaving now and leaving in December? Besides they don't need to know."

"Have you met my mother?" They both burst out into loud laughter.

 **September 18, 1989**

 **Paris, France**

 **12:48 pm**

 _*whistle*_

Bella looked up from her lunch to see a middle aged man winking at her. He blew her a kiss and started yelling out declarations of love to her. She simply shook her head and went back to eating her sandwich. She wandered into a park, intending on having a small picnic, but she seemed to have gained an audience.

"Ma belle chérie," he said approaching her. He boldly sat down on the bench next to her. Bella did her best not to cringe. She didn't want him to sense fear.

"Hello," she said with a tight smile, sliding away as subtly as she could.

"Voulez-vous aller à l'hôtel avec moi?" he asked, flashing a flirtatious grin.

"Uh no," she said, reaching for her purse and standing up. She intended to find another bench and leave her current one to her brazen new friend.

Bella strode away from the whistling man, bread in hand, enjoying her afternoon despite his unwanted advances. It had been two days since Jasper left. She went with him to the train station and gave him many goodbye hugs. Although she tried to put on her bravest face, she would miss the company of her best friend. His strange behavior and all.

Bella settled in the grass after a while. It was far away enough from everybody else, so she figured it was safe enough. She was glad she didn't bring her large backpack as it was a pain to maneuver. She put on her Walkman, blasting her favorite song and ended up lying on her back, staring at the sky with her satchel as her pillow. Before she knew it, she was falling asleep.

Suddenly, Bella's head hit against the grassy ground with a hard thump. Her eyes shot open to discover a man with his hand wrapped around the strap of her bag, tugging ferociously. She let out a gasp struggling to stand up. At this point, the man already began to dash across the park, away from Bella.

"Hey," she bellowed, pulling off the music player. "My bag." Not knowing what else to do, she sprinted across the park after him. Bella was determined to get her bag back. "Stop," she yelled as he maneuvered his way into a crowd of people. She scampered after him, but soon lost sight of him in the large crowd.

She looked around desperately, spotting a police officer across the street. A large chunk of her important belongings was in that bag. She sprinted towards him. "S'il vous plaît officier. Un homme a volé mon sac."

"American?" he asked.

"Oui."

"Okay," he said, looking around. "Where did he go?"

"He ran through the crowd, but he's probably long gone by now."

"What did he look like?"

Bella described what little she could remember about the bag thief. She ended up going to the station and making a report about her stolen bag. The bag contained more than half of her money and this was sure to set her back on her travels. With all that money gone, she would be unable to visit the majority of the places that are still on her list. She would have to find work and fast. She planned to take a train out of Paris as soon as she could. Bordeaux would be her next stop and she decided to see where that would take her.

 **September 20, 1989**

 **Chamadelle, France**

 **5:32 pm**

Bella walked slowly along the road of the small township of Chamadelle. She had just arrived from Paris after taking a train and hitching a ride with a family. She did not anticipate coming to this particular town, but it was nearest place she could walk to. Now she had to find a place to stay with her limited funds.

She called her parents and although she couldn't reach them at first, she was hesitant to tell them about what happened when they finally answered. She was in no mood to hear 'I told you so.' She decided to be bold and asked about Jasper's arrival, but neither of her parents had seen him yet or knew he was returning. This worried her slightly, but she assumed it was because the Hales lived further away and the only reason they saw Jasper everyday was because of his friendship with her.

Her father did not hide his irritation and worry that she was now wandering around Europe alone. Her mother seemed relieved.

As she walked, she admired the beautiful countryside. It reminded her of a painting or some imaginary place she read about in a book. It was like an old fairytale.

A dark luxurious car, scarcely seen in the countryside, passed her. She imagined what kind of person would be inside. It was probably someone rich and fabulous like a businessman or an actor, on their way to vacation in the wine country.

She approached a small market, intending to buy something fresh to eat in case she had to sleep under the stars. The area seemed relatively safe and she was sure she would be fine sleeping outdoors for a night. She looked up at the sky, hoping it wouldn't rain.

After making her purchases she asked the shopkeeper about the closest inns in the area. Hopefully they were at reasonable prices or else it will be a field for her. She noticed an older woman behind her looking inquisitively at them.

"Vous cherchez un endroit pour rester?" she asked.

When Bella confirmed that she was, the little woman clapped excitedly. She told Bella that she has an extra room and she could stay with her. Bella felt hesitant about going home with the strange woman, nonetheless this alternative would save her lots of money and would keep her dry. She said a silent prayer that this would not turn out to be a disaster. The woman could be an axe murderer for all she knew.

The woman lived a short walk away from the market. Bella helped her carry her groceries. On the way to her home, she introduced herself as Aurore Beaulieu. She was a tiny thing and was very agile for her seventy-five years. She reminded Bella of her grandmother.

"What will you do?" she asked later that evening when Bella recounted her experience in Paris. Bella was surprised at how much she was able to articulate her experience to the woman. Her French was definitely improving.

"Whatever I can."

Aurore had offered her a two-week position to help on her farm and to prepare for the markets. Bella also told her about her plans to pick fruits after. "It will probably only be for about three weeks, because it's a bit late, but it is easy money so that I can travel more."

"Your family, do they know? They must be worried."

Bella shook her head feeling slightly ashamed. She must have seemed like an irresponsible child to the woman. "I couldn't tell them. It would only make them worry unnecessarily."

"Je n'en reviens pas!" she cried out it disbelief. _I don't believe it!_ She told Bella she was very brave and she could never have as much courage as her. Aurore had only left the area a handful of times in her seventy-five years and had never left France.

"I know of a family," she said, pensively. "The Carons. It is maybe an hour drive away. Guillaume, my farmhand, can take you. They deal with wine so they will have picking work. It won't be for very long and probably not much payment wise, but it's something an you'll have a place to stay."

"Really?" she asked happily. "That's great!"

She regarded Bella contemplatively. "They are also looking for a nanny or an Au Pair. Is that something that would interest you?"

"Je ne sais pas," Bella said unsurely. "I have some babysitting experience, but I don't know if it's for me. I want to see more of Europe. I don't know how I would do that while looking after a child. Where is the adventure in that?"

"D'accord, d'accord," Aurore said pleasingly. "Come. I'll show you to your room."

Aurore proved to be an excellent teacher. In the short two weeks that Bella was with her, she learned so much about gardening, animal care, and cooking. Aurore eagerly taught her how to make goat's cheese and bread and she also shared many local dishes.

During the day, Bella would pick fruits and vegetables and tend to the goats and hens. The farm was small and it was just Aurore and her farmhand Guillaume, so Bella's help made the workload lighter.

* * *

 **Review please! Let me know what you think!**

 **I have most of the chapters after this one completely written. There are lots of surprises and fun stuff to come.**


	7. Chapter 6: Yoko meshi

**_Yoko meshi (n.)_** _The peculiar stress of speaking a foreign language (literally means 'a meal eaten sideways')_

* * *

 **October 3, 1989**

 **Bergerac, Dordogne department, France**

 **3:40 pm**

Bella slowly brought her hand up to the large wooden door. She noticed the strange hand-shaped doorknocker and gripped it instead of knocking. The bronze hand made loud thumping sounds as it rapped against the wooden door.

She heard movements from inside the house and it wasn't long until a regal looking, auburn-haired woman pulled the door open.

"Bonjour, je m'appelle Isabella Swan," she said, wanting to slap herself for sounding like she just stepped out of the first day of beginning French class.

"Ah Oui." The woman's green eyes lit up. "Miss Swan. Aurore sent you, I imagine. Did Guillaume drop you off?"

"Yes," she answered. "Are you Madame Caron?"

"Yes. Please come in." She opened the door wider, stepping back for Bella to enter.

A little bronze-haired girl emerged from another room as Bella entered the house. She looked to be about three or four. "This is Eloise," Madame Caron said, referring to the little girl. "She is my granddaughter."

The dainty little girl stepped around Madame Caron peering at Bella curiously. "Bonjour Madame," she said politely.

"Bonjour," she said to Eloise with a soft smile.

"She speaks English?" Eloise asked, looking up at Esme.

Esme nodded at the little girl and lovingly brushed back a lock of her honey colored hair. Eloise seemed to perk up at this revelation. "My name is Eloise Caron and I am four years old," she said proudly smiling up at Bella.

"Wow Eloise," she praised. "Très bon. You speak very good English."

Esme smiled adoringly. "She's getting much better. Her father really wants her to be able to speak multiple languages. That's why he requested an English Au Pair."

"Your son," Bella stated rather than asked.

"Yes," she sighed indulgently. "My beloved boy. He's usually away quite a bit because of his work, but he and Eloise will be spending an entire month with Philippe and I. I also have a daughter, Alice but she's away at the moment."

"And Philippe is your husband?"

"Yes he is," she said taking Eloise's hand. "Philippe and my son are not in at the moment, but please let me show you to your room. The vendangeurs usually stay down at the smaller lodging, but there is no more space. You will stay in one of the guest rooms here."

"Thank you Madame Caron."

"Please, call me Esme," she said, waving her off as she began to ascend the stone staircase. "Madame Caron is my mother-in-law."

"This is a very nice house, Esme."

"Yes," she concurred. "It has been around for many generations."

Esme took Bella on a tour of the rest of the large house before leading her to her bedroom. The bedroom had once belonged to Esme's son, Edward but once he grew older into his teens, he requested the larger room across the hall. Bella quickly got settled into the room and after freshening up in the en suite bathroom she made her way back downstairs to see how she could be of use.

As Bella's feet hit the last step, she almost collided with a large figure. Her mouth fell open with an audible snap at the sight of the man in front of her.

"Miss Swan?" He said it as a question. As if he was trying to recall if that was in fact her name.

She found her voice and answered softly. "Yes, and you are, Edward. Correct?"

"Yes," he answered, taking a step back. "I would have never expected to see you again, let alone here of all places." He looked different from when she saw him in London. Younger maybe. Instead of a suit, he wore jeans and a dark green pullover.

"Yeah," Bella said in agreement, pulling at the edge of her sweater nervously. "Are you…from around here? Oh yeah of course you are. You said you were from Dordogne."

"I live here," he laughed. The sound sent strange tingles up Bella's spine. What were the chances of running into him again? "I grew up in this house."

"Oh so are you Esme's son –"

"Yes, Esme is my mother."

Everything finally made sense. "Caron. Edward Caron," she gasped, slapping her palm to her forehead. "So you were the one looking for the nanny. You're Eloise's father." She should have realized earlier, but she just did not make the name connection.

She recognized him immediately as the Edward from England, but it took her a while to make the connection with Esme. She felt silly for it. She wondered if there was a Mrs. Edward Caron.

He nodded at her inquiry. "We've settled on one just –"

"Ah Edward," Esme said breezing into the room. "Elle est Isabella." She pointed at Bella. "Elle sera d'aider à la ferme."

He nodded at his mother as his eyes raked over Bella. She suddenly felt self-conscious. Was he looking at her like that the entire time?

"Ah oui," he murmured, averting his gaze. "Where is Eloise?"

"She is having a snack in the kitchen."

A man about Esme's age entered the house. "Isabella this is my husband Philippe," Esme said, gesturing to the tall dark-haired man. He smiled politely but didn't speak. "You will have to use your French more with him," she said in explanation. "His English is not very good."

"Bonjour Monsieur Philippe."

Philippe told her hello and left to go find Eloise.

 **.**

 **October 4** **th** **, 1989**

 **Bergerac, France**

 **6:30 am**

"The typical working day is seven to eight hours. It's usually eight," Esme said, as she and Bella walked at a leisurely pace to the vineyard. "This includes some daily chores as well. You will mainly be picking grapes, but there is also work that can be done on the farm as well."

"Okay," Bella said, trying to keep up with everything as Esme continued on in quickly paced French.

"Some people who work here are with WWOOF. Have you heard of it? It's rather new."

"Yes," Bella answered. "When I was doing my research on where to go, I came across some information about it."

"After work most of the vendangeurs go to pubs in town or sometimes we meet up for wine in the wine cellar. Grapes are harvested in September so you have arrived close to the end of harvest, but there is still some to do. After that, there are other things you can help with. We are involved in a lot."

When they arrived Bella was given a pair of plastic gloves, hedge cutters and a backbasket. Vendangeurs usually formed groups of two when picking and Bella was paired with Michael, a young Englishman around her age.

"Okay, so we're supposed to stand on either side of the grape tree," Michael explained. "This is for symmetry purposes. The way we will move down the rows is actually quite beautiful."

"Sounds great!"

"You have to cut the grape head delicately." He demonstrated on the nearby tree for her. "Then, if there are dead parts, scrape them off and save what is left. Put the grapes in your basket and then at the end of the day some will be dumped into the trucks that are filled with ice."

By the end of the day, Bella learned that grape picking was not a simple task. She was glad she arrived at the end of the season. She was handed a backbasket and was instructed on what to do with quick French. Once her backbasket was somewhat full, it was heavy and tiring. She also spent a lot of time bending and could feel the soreness in her muscles.

For Bella, lunchtime was the best part of the day. She sat down for a surprising full four-course meal with and a glass of red wine from the vineyard. It was an amazing opportunity to get to know her fellow workers. Other than Michael, who was from Manchester, there were two other English people, five French, and two from Spain.

They invited her to come out with them to a nearby pub in the evening after work. She happily accepted the invitation. Bella was extremely happy in her new position. This was the European experience she imagined. Being immersed in a culture, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and a beautiful language.

"So, which state are you from?" Michael asked conversationally as they sipped drinks.

"New York. I live in the city." He seemed to be particularly interested in everything that came out of her mouth.

"Cool." He leaned closer to her. "I visited last year. I had a lot of fun."

"That's great. It's fun."

"I'm glad you came out with us. You seem like a cool girl."

Bella gave him a weak smile. "And you seem like a cool guy." He seemed like a pleasant, friendly guy and he was obviously interested, but she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. She did not travel to Europe to find romance.

They were interrupted a young Frenchman named Jeff who had rejoined the table and asked Michael something about harvest. Bella spent the rest of the night getting to know the other Vendangeurs.

 _._

 **October 29** **th** **, 1989**

 **Bergerac, Dordogne, France**

 **1:58 pm**

As the weeks passed by, Bella became more comfortable in her work. The grape collection had come to an end and she was settling into farm work. All of her fellow workers were extremely friendly and helpful to her. In the time she was there she had also drank more wine than she ever had in her entire life.

"Isabella may I speak with you for a moment please?" Esme asked one afternoon.

Bella looked up with slight panic. Was she not doing a good job? She couldn't imagine how. Her new role was a lot simpler than grape picking.

She followed Esme towards the track to the house. They were quiet for what seemed like several minutes. "It has been wonderful having you here," Esme said as they neared the back entrance. "I want to ask something of you."

"What is it?" Bella raked her memory, trying to think of mistakes she might have made while completing her new tasks.

"As you know, harvest will be ending soon," she began. "What will you do after you leave here?" Esme took a seat on the bench in the back garden. "How do you feel about children, Isabella?"

Isabella was surprised by her question. "I like them. Children are great." She realized how silly she must have sounded.

"You have experience. Yes?"

"I have some experience. I used to babysit for neighbors for many years and I once had a job at a daycare last summer."

"Great," she said, folding her fingers under her chin regally. She patted the spot next to her on the bench. "Have a seat."

Bella carefully sat down beside the captivating woman. Esme leaned away slightly as if appraising Bella, her lips twisted thoughtfully. She nodded slightly before asking, "How do you feel about becoming a nanny?"

"A nanny? For monsieur Edward?" Esme nodded at the question with a small smile. "I don't know Madame…" Bella said nervously. "I don't have –"

"You _just_ said that you have experience. You like children too. You are perfect for the job. I have seen you interact with her while you lived here in the house with us. Little Eloise is no trouble at all _and_ she likes you." Esme's hair blew lightly in the wind; her green eyes twinkled in anticipation. Bella never ceased to be amazed by how mesmerizing and enchanting Esme appeared to be. She was the epitome of what Bella hoped to be one day.

"It sounds like a good opportunity, but what about my work here? I can't do both."

"It is an _amazing_ opportunity," she said. "Edward really needs someone now that Vanessa is no longer coming. You will get to travel a lot too. Edward is always all over the place. I know it is not the usual backpacking way, but it is a win-win situation. Besides there won't be much to do here now that November is coming near. I can handle things with the people we have now. Plus you were going to leave at the end of next month and it's almost here."

She placed a hand on top of Bella's. "Think about it. Please."

"Okay." The opportunity did sound nice. Traveling around Europe as a nanny to the child of a busy businessman.

She clapped her hands together, standing up. "Très bien Bella!"

Bella watched as Esme happily glided away. The woman was managing to actually make her consider saying yes to the nanny job. Despite of how much Edward made her feel nervous. It was a good nervous though.

* * *

"You said you used to _babysit_?" Edward asked in an incredulous tone.

Bella's eyes moved around the home office like a child seeing something strange and magnificent for the first time. She turned her attention to him realizing he asked a question. "Yes. I worked at a daycare too. Briefly."

Edward stared at her for a long time, probably wondering if he could take her word. His piercing green eyes, which were so similar to his mother's, seemed to burn through her. She felt herself shrink back in her seat at the intensity of his gaze.

"Tell me about yourself," he said finally, folding his arms. "Something I don't already know."

"Well, I'm 21 years old. I was born and raised in New York City and I'm currently on break from College."

Edward leaned back in his chair, his jade eyes filled with curiosity. She noticed he had incredibly long eyelashes, "What is it that you study?"

"Psychology and French."

"French." He rubbed his chin, his eyes raking over her again. His long fingers tapped lazily against the mahogany desk. "How is your French?"

Bella realized she must have been staring stupidly at him. Her mind somehow had decided to focus on his lips. "My French?"

"Yes, your French," he clasped his hands in front of him. "Eloise's primary language is French. She speaks English too, but it's not always perfect or ideal. I want to know if you can communicate effectively in order to meet her needs."

"I'm pretty good, I guess," she shrugged. She started biting her thumb nail which was a nervous habit. She did not have too much difficulty communicating with Aurore. She had also gotten a decent grade in the last French course she took. Her professor was horrible though, and she probably didn't learn as much as she should have.

"Comment? Seriez-vous en mesure de s'engager à parler plus souvent français?"

Slight panic rushed through Bella. She was usually pretty good at French listening skills, but she felt mentally unprepared. "Oui, je peux. J'étudie le français à mon université."

"Very well then," he said, with a sigh. He didn't sound very convinced. "That will have to do. I really do need someone. I usually hire through an agency and they have much more experience, but Vanessa, the Au Pair from England I originally hired, is no longer available so…" he trailed off. "You're hired."

"Really?" She was genuinely surprised. He did not seem to be completely confident about hiring her so she definitely was not expecting such a quick hire.

"Yes really," he said, smirking at her expression of disbelief. "You seem like an intelligent and highly capable woman. The people I hire are typically educated like yourself. Usually, if you were with the Au Pair program like Vanessa was, you would need to have a lot of paperwork completed and a health certificate and many other documents. Then there would be a contract that is signed through the agency and then we would have to register you, but we are doing things very differently. You will be hired as our new nanny so those requirements won't matter. Besides we are not staying in the area."

"Sounds good to me."

"Good. I will draw up a contract, and you can start your trial run." His tone left no room for argument. "Vous pouvez commencer dès maintenant. Votre première tâche est de trouver ma petite fille. Elle peut être très sournois. Ne la laissez pas vous tromper. Cela va être plus difficile que vous le pensez."

Bella scurried out of her seat nearly tripping over her own feet. "Right. I'll get right on that." Usually around this time Eloise is with her father. Since that obviously wasn't the case Bella decided to check with Esme.

She bumped into Eloise and Esme entering the house just as she was about the exit through the back doors. "Bonjour Bella," Esme said cheerfully.

"Bonjour," she replied politely before telling Eloise hello.

"Bonjour Bella," she said sweetly. "Mémé et moi jouions."

"Playing?" Bella leaned down to get to her level. "That sounds fun."

"It was fun." Listening to a child speak French was a lot harder at times, but she was not having much difficulty with Eloise.

"How did it go?" Esme asked in a conspiratorial tone, following Bella towards the kitchen.

"It went well. I am officially her new nanny." Bella gave a shrug as she tried to contain her giddiness.

"That is wonderful Bella." Esme turned to Eloise. "Did you hear that El? Miss Bella is going to take care of you. She will go to Switzerland with you and your Papa next week."

"Switzerland?" Bella asked. This was the first she was hearing of this. Surely Edward would have mentioned leaving the country. Or perhaps he did and she did not notice. He had an odd way of distracting her.

"Oh yes, did he not tell you?" Esme asked. "That's where they live at the moment. It's between there and Paris, and Edward travels quite a bit besides that. That's why he needs someone."

"Wow," Bella said. "That sounds amazing." She realized then, that this new job would be quite the adventure. It wasn't how she imagined her trip, but this may turn out to be an excellent change. It would probably be better than her original plans.

Bella felt Eloise's small hand tugging on hers. "Tu viens aussi?" _You're coming too?_

"Oui," Bella said, stooping slightly to meet her eyes. "And your father wants to talk to you _."_

Bella gently took her hand and began leading her to the office. Eloise was very quiet along the way, which settles Bella's fear of what Edward had said about her being more devious than she looks. Eloise appeared to be a perfect angel.

"Papa!" Eloise squealed, running towards Edward and bounding into his lap. It was a precious sight.

"Chéri!" He placed a kiss on her forward and looked up expectantly at Bella where she stood at the door. She closed the door behind her and made her way to the chair across from his desk. "Mlle Bella va être ta nouvelle nounou."

"Je sais," she said grabbing a pen on the table. "I want to draw _."_

Edward shuffled around the desk retrieving paper for her to draw on. "I think you two should spend some time getting acquainted with each other over the next few days. You need to learn and understand how she needs to be cared for. I want to see if you can handle it."

"Okay," Bella said, nodding. "I can do that."

"So, Eloise," Bella said, leading her down the hallway after Edward shooed them out of his office. "What do you want to do today?"

"I get to pick?" she asked, her eyes lighting up. She started bouncing.

"Uh…yeah." Bella wasn't sure what Eloise's daily routine was. She had assumed they would just play, but now she wondered if she was required to do anything specific. She figured she would just go with the flow and do what felt natural when it came to the child.

"I want to watch la Rue Sésame," she said, with finality. "Papa got me tapes." She grabbed Bella's hand, leading her towards the stone steps.

They settled at a small table in front of the television in Eloise's immaculately decorated bedroom. The room was chalk white in color with intricate gold flowering at the edges of the walls. It was the most beautiful bedroom Bella had seen a child have. It was fit for a princess.

After a few minutes of singing along with the French alphabet, Eloise began to get restless. "Let's play Bella."

"What do you want to play?"

"Princess!" she squealed. "I am the princess." She scurried across the room and retrieved a tiara, which she placed on her head. "We will have tea." Eloise brought out her toy tea set and placed it on the table in front of Bella before moving to sit across from her. "This is my tea table. Mémé and I play here all the time."

"Really?" Bella smiled. She wasn't sure she could ever get over how adorable the little French-speaking girl was. "I love having tea parties. I used to play with my Mémé too."

"When my mémé has tea with grown-ups they use real things," she mused in french, after a few minutes of their pretend tea party. "Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Can we drink real tea?" She shook her empty cup, peering at its emptiness. "Or wine? Mémé and my papa drink wine all the time."

Bella laughed heartily at that. Children always did say the funniest things "I don't think your father would be happy with me if I gave you wine."

"Papa didn't say I _couldn't_ ," she said tapping her chin contemplatively. Bella could not help, but smile at how adorable of a sight it was. "Please Bella?" She brought out the puppy dog eyes and clasped her hands together.

"Come on," she hoisted herself up reaching for Eloise. "I will see what I can do about the tea. It's a no for the wine, though." Eloise appeared content with the idea.

Twenty minutes later they were finishing some corniottes in the kitchen with Esme. "This was delicious Esme."

"You liked it?" she asked. "I'm glad because I haven't tried to make it in a long time. I always used to ruin it in the beginning."

"I loved it."

Eloise let out a big yawn.

"Looks like somebody is tired," Esme chuckled. "Why don't you take her upstairs? She will nap for about an hour."

"Okay," Bella placed down her cup, reaching for the tiny girl and pulling her into her arms. They ascended the stairs where Eloise slept peacefully for just over an hour.

* * *

 **Happy New Year!**

 **Even though it is written in English, the conversations with Eloise were in French. Since this story is an English language story, that is how the majority of it will be written. Her English skills are okay, but choppy at times.**

 **Translations**

 **Elle sera d'aider à la ferme-** _She will help on the farm_

 **Vous pouvez commencer dès maintenant. Votre première tâche est de trouver ma petite fille. Elle peut être très sournois. Ne la laissez pas vous tromper. Cela va être plus difficile que vous le pensez.** _You can start now. Your first task is finding my little girl. She can be quite sneaky. Do not let her fool you. This will be harder than you think._

 **Mlle Bella va être ta nouvelle nounou -** _Miss Bella will be your new nanny_


	8. Chapter 7: Quaquaversal

**_Quaquaversal (adj.)_** _Moving or happening in every direction instantaneously_

* * *

 **November 6** **th** **, 1989**

 **The Caron Home - Bergerac, France**

 **9:12 am**

"Bye Mémé!" Eloise screeched running towards Esme who stood in the doorway of the large house. She wrapped her tiny arms around her grandmother for about the fifth time that morning. "Bye pépé!" She moved on to Philippe who had just stepped briskly out the door.

"I am driving with you," Philippe laughed, patting her head indulgently.

They were soon settled in the car with Edward and Philippe seated up front and Eloise and Bella cozied in the back. "Papa says we're going to Swi-ser-land," Eloise said looking up at Bella.

"We are." She lightly brushed Eloise's wilds curls away from her face, looking at her fondly.

"And we are going on a train. I like trains. You like trains Bella?"

"I do," Bella answered. "I came here on a train from Paris."

"I like trains," she repeated as her attention turned to her coloring book. "Was it a big train? I've been on a very big train."

"As a matter of fact it was," Bella said. She listened as Eloise prattled on about trains and how much fun they would have once they got there. The child was simply a marvel and she began to think that maybe being a nanny wouldn't be too difficult after all.

Bella thought back to the farewell drinks she had with the other vendangeurs two nights before. Somehow they had already known about her new position and besides Michael's innuendo filled statements about babysitters and single fathers, they all seemed happy for her. She figured Michael was just the bitter type.

They said a quick goodbye to Philippe and made their way through the surprisingly vacant station.

"Chocolat Papa!" Eloise yelled pointing to a stand with chocolate in the display window. "Can I have chocolat?"

"It is too early for that my darling," Edward said gently. "You just had breakfast and too much sweets is not good for you."

"But Papa," she whined stomping her little foot. "I want it."

"I said no Eloise." His voice was firm. She settled down, crossing her arms and pouting. "Come on," he groaned picking her up while balancing a bag in his other hand.

Once on the train and they had their bags taken cared of, Edward paced a hand on the small of Bella's back, leading them to their seat. She felt the heat of his brief touch for the entire train ride.

 **November 6** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **8:48 pm**

Bella felt a gentle nudge against her shoulder. "Miss Swan?" Her eyes fluttered open to find Edward standing over her with a sleeping Eloise in hand. "We are almost there. The train should be stopping shortly."

"That was quick." She stretched her arms above her head languidly.

Edward snorted, playfully rolling his eyes. "Hardly. However when you are asleep time tends to slip right by. Eleven hours seem like nothing."

"This is so cool," she said leaning over to peer out the window. "Even after months of travelling I still get excited!" She lightly pressed her face against the glass placing her hands on either side of her face to get a clearer look.

"I'm in Switzerland!" She squealed.

"Come on Miss Adventure," Edward laughed. "This is our stop."

Bella was surprised to find that Edward had a driver waiting for them at the station. He was a short stocky man that introduced himself as Godfrey in a low gruff voice. He was very quiet as they made their way to Edward's very impressive home.

"Wow," she said stepping out of the car door that Godfrey held open. She was by no means a stranger to luxury; nevertheless Edward had a beautiful and marvelous house. Throughout her trip she often found herself enamored by the beautiful architecture of the different cities. She felt like she was in a perpetual dreamlike haze.

"This is my primary home," he explained. "I stay here more than anywhere else."

"It's beautiful."

Godfrey let out a muffled groan interrupting her admiration of the house. He balancing the bags as he shut the door closed with his stubby foot.

"Do you need any –"

"I got eet," he grunted in his gruff little voice. He hoisted the baggage in his arms, scurrying toward the house.

Edward snorted and rolled his eyes, following briskly after him. "Do you cook?"

"Yeah, I can make some things."

He looked back at her sheepishly. "I'm going to need your help on some days. Our previous nanny took care of that but I have made other arrangements."

"It won't be a problem at all," she assured him.

Edward held the front door open for Godfrey to enter and Bella followed after. "Let me just put her down to sleep and then we should talk about your responsibilities while you are here."

He gave her a brief tour on the way to Eloise's room and then he showed her to her own room where she put down her bags and followed him to his office.

"This is where I come to work when I am home," he informed her. "I am usually away at meetings though. Sometimes when I am here, I have very important work and I do not want to be disturbed so it is important that you keep Eloise busy at times like this."

"Okay. I can do that."

"I would like for you to keep her on a precise schedule," He said, handing her a sheet of paper. "I typed out a tentative one for you to use to guide her. Things will be a lot different here than when we were at my mother's home. That was our holiday time. Eloise has to focus on her studies now. There will be less play time."

Bella looked at the paper which had Eloise's entire daily routine outlined from breakfast, to playtime, to walks. Edward seemed like a man that liked organization. She also noticed Piano lessons on the list as well.

"Of course you can shuffle and adjust a few things," he said. "But I would like consistency in Eloise's routine. This will keep her straight and proper. The piano lessons are not flexible. Her instructor will come in three times a week while we are here. You also have to keep her on track with her reading and English lessons."

"Okay." It seemed a little much, but she was willing to learn how to care for a child. She did not remember her mother using schedules, but things were obviously different in Edward's home.

"Also, meals" he said, crossing his arms across his chest. "I have hired a personal chef that comes in a five times during the week but other than that can you handle that with no problem?"

"That would be all three correct."

"Yes. Although at breakfast you will mainly be handling just Eloise and yourself."

"It's no problem at all then." Bella made a mental note to get a French cookbook. She was sure Edward would have diverse tastes in foods and would not want the same group of meals all the time.

She also made note to call her mother. She wasn't sure she would share the news of her new job just yet though. She knew they would worry unnecessarily. After all, she was in a foreign country with a man she barely knew.

She decided she would send her a postcard. It would allow her to put off the lying for a while.

* * *

 **November 8** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **9:12 pm**

"Eloise come here!" Bella called trying to keep her voice low as to not alert Edward of the mini crisis she was having.

"No," she giggled. "I want to play now Bella!" She ran towards the door. "You can't catch me," she sang running away.

"Oh no," Bella groaned. She was tempted to go to Edward for help, but she wanted to handle this on her own. She didn't want him to think she was incompetent. They had only been in Bern for two days. Who knew one child would be so much work. "Eloise, please! You have to go to bed now." Bella ran down the hall after the little girl. She hoped she wouldn't venture downstairs.

Bella spied Eloise's little form taking a sharp right into her bedroom. _Aha,_ she said to herself, moving to follow.

"Miss Swan?" She spun around to find Edward at the opposite end of the hallway where he had just ascended the stairs. "What are you doing?"

"I…um," Bella said trying to think quickly. She hoped he would not think she could not handle Eloise.

He crossed his arms over his chest giving her a questioning look. She swore he almost looked like he was smirking. "Is Eloise in bed?"

"Well…"

"Bella come find me!" the little girl yelled from somewhere in Bella's bedroom. Bella's cheeks heated guiltily.

"Ah," he said knowingly uncrossing his arms. "She's playing the hiding game."

"I'm sorry. I was going to –"

"It's fine," Edward said waving her off. "Like I said, Eloise can be a handful. You are still learning." He walked towards her placing a hand on the small of her back. "Come on." She let him lead her toward her bedroom, feeling a burning heat where his hand laid. It sent happy tingles up her spine.

"Where could Eloise be?" he asked in an unusually playful tone as they entered her bedroom. It was a nice change to his usually serious demeanor. "Have you seen my little girl Miss Swan?"

"I haven't," she answered, playing along. "Maybe she got lost."

Edward rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I thought I heard a little voice that sounded almost like hers. Perhaps I was mistaken. I hope my little girl isn't lost."

A girlish giggle came from the closet across the room. Edward winked at Bella as he moved towards the edge of her bed, taking a seat. "If she's lost she's going to miss out on the adventure tomorrow."

"Oh yes, It would be a shame if Eloise couldn't come with us. We'll have all that fun without her."

The closet door popped open. "Where Papa?" Eloise's little body slipped out of the closet. "An adventure? I want to come too. I wasn't lost. I was hiding."

"My darling!" Edward exclaimed in faux surprise, winking Bella. "I thought you were lost. You had me and Miss Swan so worried."

"I'm sorry Papa. I wasn't lost, I wanted to play." She crawled into his lap. "Where are we going tomorrow Papa?"

"You will have to wait and see," he said placing a kiss on her nose. "Papa has to work on your surprise. Be good for Miss Swan and let her tuck you in. The night is for sleeping and not for playing. Good girls go to bed when they are told or else they will not get any surprises." His tone started to get serious again.

He stood with the now pouting little girl and gently placed her in Bella's waiting arms. He gave her another wink that made her feel like she would melt into a pile of goo before exiting her bedroom.

 _This is definitely harder than I expected,_ she thought as she made her way across the hall to tuck Eloise in.

Getting Eloise to settle down was much easier after that. Once the little girl had drifted to dreamland, Bella tiptoed out of her room, not wanting to wake her.

"Much more difficult than you expected isn't it?"

Bella jumped at the sound of Edward's voice behind her. She turned to see him standing in the halfway cracked doorway. He looked freshly showered. His oddly colored hair was damp and he wore a grey sweater with flannel pants. Bella couldn't help the inappropriate thoughts that flashed through her mind.

She offered him a tentative smile before stealing one more glance at Eloise as she made her way towards him. As she stepped out, Edward reached around her to close the door. Her heart hammered in her chest.

Bella was hyper reactive to his presence. She had a crush on her employer and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Especially since he seemed, like most people she encountered on her trip, to have a different concept of personal space.

"Definitely," she sighed. "I think I'll get the hang of it though."

He hummed in agreement, his jade eyes staring off. She noticed that his normally clean-shaven face had grown a bit of stubble.

"Well now that the little one is in bed, how about we do some grown up things."

Bella nearly fell over. "Uh…some. Grown up…yeah." She felt like slapping herself. He certainly didn't mean that the way her dirty mind interpreted it.

Edward chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on." He reached out and took her hand in is firm warm one. It felt pleasant. She followed as he led her to the second floor and then to a set of stairs she had not noticed before. "You haven't seen the best part of the house yet Miss Swan."

They ended up on a patio on the roof. It had the most spectacular view of Bern. "I found some wine in the cellar from the last time I was here." He walked over to a table and poured out two glasses of wine handing one to her.

"So what do you think of Switzerland?" he asked looking down at the town below them. "Well what little you have seen of it."

"It has made a good impression so far," she said taking a sip of wine.

"Really?" He sat down and gestured for her to do the same. "I'm glad to hear that. I hope Eloise and I have made a good impression also."

Bella's cheeks turned crimson. "You did." She was convinced he was trying to drive her insane. She couldn't keep her mind clean.

"Good to know."

She remembered something she had been meaning to ask him. Something that never quite made sense to her. The circumstances they first met under confused her ever since she saw him at the Caron house. "Why did you stay at the Acker's inn when you were in London?"

His brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"What I mean is," she explained. "I would think you would have stayed somewhere more…posh?" It came out like a question.

Edward threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. It was an enticing sound. "Posh?" His eyes gleamed mischievously in the moonlight. "Is that how you see me Miss Swan?" He leaned toward her.

"I…well…look at this place!" She threw her arms out gesturing around them. "It's just that the Inn is a little out of the way. I took you for a center of the large city type of person."

He stared quietly at her with a secret smile on his face for what seemed like minutes but was likely only a few seconds.

"What?" she asked self-consciously shifting under his gaze.

"They are very close friends of my mother's. I have known them for many years."

"Really?" she said, surprised. "I never saw any interaction between you."

"In life there is a lot that we don't see," he said cryptically, giving her a wink. He stared up at the sky, still smiling.

"How long are we staying here?" she asked, changing the subject. This was a more pressing issue. "You travel a lot." She was excited to find out where they would go next. Edward did not seem like the communicating type. She had to hear about Switzerland from Esme.

Edward sighed running a hand through his tousled hair. "Not too long. A couple of weeks maybe. I will be spending quite a bit of time away from the house so I want to make sure you are fully accustomed to Eloise and her Bern routine."

"Okay," she agreed. She thought back to her earlier conversation with the little girl. "Eloise told me that she was getting a puppy. I love animals. I always wanted a dog but my brother is allergic."

"She _wants_ a pet," he said, shaking his head with a smile of admiration. "A puppy. We travel so much that it would be impossible. What will I do with that little girl?"

"Well I'm here," Bella said quickly. She didn't want the little girl to be disappointed. She seemed so happy when she was talking about her new puppy. "You can get her one. I can handle it. Is traveling with a pet that difficult? It can't be that hard."

Edward shot her an incredulous look. "A four-year-old and a puppy? I don't think so. Maybe when she's older."

Bella nodded in agreement not wanting to argue. They slipped into silence as they stared out at the city before them. It was a beautiful night. She couldn't wait to see what Bern had in store for her.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. I wonder what Switzerland has in store for Bella.**

 **See you next chapter. It is already written.**

 **Review please!**


	9. Chapter 8: Selcouth

**_Selcouth (adj.)_** _Unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvelous_

* * *

 **November 9** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **9:12 am**

There was a light rap on the door. Bella turned to find Edward standing in the doorway. "Are you almost ready in here?"

"Just about." Bella fastened Eloise's shoe before lifting the little girl off the bed and grabbing her coat. "Now we're ready."

"Great. The car is waiting outside," he said, holding his hand out for her. Once she was near he wrapped an arm around her and Eloise and led them down to the car.

The car ride was a quiet one. Bella spent the ride gazing out at the beautiful town while Eloise bounced impatiently in her seat. Geoffrey eventually stopped the car outside of what looked like an upscale restaurant. He got out, holding the door on Edward's side open.

Edward turned to Bella gently resting his hand on top of hers. "I have a meeting this morning. Geoffrey is going to take you and Eloise to the Rose Garden and then I will meet the two of you for lunch."

"Okay," she nodded, feeling dazed by his closeness. Edward was the type of man to plan things to the detail, but never inform anyone of those plans beforehand. Simply, expecting that his decisions be followed as he saw fit. In a way, it made sense considering she was simply his employee and she should be able to adapt to his unusual schedule.

He muttered something in German to Geoffrey and placed a kiss on Eloise's forehead before briskly entering the restaurant. Geoffrey pulled the car away and they slowly drove through Bern.

"You like flowers Bella?" Eloise asked, looking up at Bella with her big inquisitive eyes. "I love flowers. Papa and I went to the Rose Garden before, and they have lots of flowers."

"I do love flowers El," she said, tickling the adorable little girl, causing her to giggle sweetly. "My Mémé had a beautiful garden full of flowers in England. I used to visit her with my mom and Dad when I was little like you. I loved smelling the flowers and picking them."

"Papa said we can't pick the flowers at the Rose Garden today," she said with a disappointed sigh.

"Did he?"

"Uh huh," she nodded. "And we have to obey him because he is…Papa."

Soon Geoffrey was pulling the car over and holding the door open for Bella and Eloise. "I will return with Mr. Edward soon," he informed her in his rudimentary French.

"Danke Geoffrey," Bella said, climbing out of the car and taking Eloise's hand.

The park was absolutely beautiful. It had a calming effect that lifted her spirits at the same time. Edward always knew what he was doing when it came to keeping them occupied. It was the perfect place to spend a leisurely morning. It would have been even more perfect if it was summer or springtime.

Bella and Eloise wandered around the park, taking in the beautiful roses, azaleas, rhododendron and irises. Bella stopped at the café for a cup of coffee for herself and a pastry for Eloise. Then she and Eloise ran around the lawns and Eloise made a few new friends among children who were there with their families.

Eloise was particularly happy with a little girl named Adeline and her puppy, Ancel. She knew Eloise wouldn't let her and Edward hear the end of it once they got home.

They chased the dog around the park happily shrieking, "Ancel! Ancel!"as they ran. It was nice seeing Eloise interacting with children her own age. The child usually spent the majority of her time in the presence of adults. Bella was sure that her playing with children like Adeline would be a good thing.

Bella snapped pictures with her camera, documenting her adventure. She also made sure to buy postcards from a nearby stand to send home to her family. She knew her parents must have been sick with worry due to the irregularity of her phone calls and letters. She made a mental note to send them some pictures of Bern and the Chateau in France.

Before they knew it, Edward was strolling in their direction. He had ditched his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his button-down. "There are my girls," he said as he approached. "I was worried I wouldn't find you. Are you two having fun?"

"We are," Bella giggled, snapping another picture of Eloise.

"Good," Edward sighed, lightly resting his hand on her shoulder. "We can go get some lunch now. I know you must be hungry."

"Would you like me to take a picture of your family?" Bella turned to see a French woman she and Eloise had met earlier in the park. She had twin daughters around Eloise's age.

"Oh, well we're not –"

"Sure," Edward said cutting Bella off. He scooped Eloise into his arms and wrapped an arm around Bella. She handed the woman the camera with shaky hands. Her body heated where his hand lay.

The woman snapped several pictures of them as they stood in the park looking like a happy young family.

"Your husband is very handsome." She smiled at Edward and looked between him and Eloise. "She is like his twin. Beautiful family," she said, handing the camera back to a red-faced Bella. Bella noticed that Edward seemed completely unbothered by the woman's assumption.

"Thank you." Edward flashed the woman a grin as he led Bella and Eloise away from the woman and her two children. "I hope you have your appetites."

"May I have chocolat for dessert Papa?" Eloise jutted out her bottom lip, pulling the cutest face ever. Her eyes were wide and pleading.

"She has quite the sweet tooth, in case you haven't noticed," he chuckled.

The sound sent tingles up Bella's spine.

What was he doing to her? She shouldn't be having these feelings about her employer.

The entered the large open air restaurant and sat down for their meal. Eloise ended up getting the chocolate she wanted and Edward's deep, intense eyes were on Bella throughout almost the entirety of their meal. Bella tried her best to remain composed while her boss slowly drove her mad with desire. She wasn't sure how much longer she could control herself.

* * *

 **November 9** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **8:30 pm**

"Come in," Edward's deep voice hollered from the other side of the door.

Bella opened the door to find Edward seated behind his desk, with the telephone pressed to his ear. "Victoria, I already told you," he sighed, rubbing his temple wearily. He sounded tired and annoyed. "Perhaps another time. I have some business to attend to. Goodnight."

Bella took a seat on the dark brown leather chair across from him. Whoever was on the phone was not cooperating with Edward.

"Geoffrey will take you an Eloise shopping tomorrow," Edward informed her, as he hung up the phone. "You need to get a nice evening dress. Money is no object at all."

"An evening dress?"

"Yes," he said, distractedly opening and closing drawers. "We are attending a dinner party on Saturday. Eloise needs a new dress as well, I suppose."

"Oh, what is the party for?" She was surprised she and Eloise would be attending a party with him. In his line of work, she assumed he only attended business functions with rich men in suits. She wondered what would be child and nanny appropriate. It certainly couldn't be for work.

"It's work related," he said, simply. She knew he wasn't going to elaborate. He wasn't one for detailed or elaborate explanations.

He pulled out some papers, quickly sifting through them. "Everybody brings their family, drinks wine, and does dinner party things."

"How would I know what kind of dress to pick?"

"Good point," he said distractedly, his eyes raking over her form. She waited for him to say something else but he went back to the papers in front of him.

"Well…I'll um…"

Edward looked up at her expectantly as if he didn't just disregard her question. "Was there something else Miss Swan?"

"I…I just told you that I," Bella looked at him with confusion. "How will I know what to pick out to wear?" She took a seat in the chair across from him.

"Don't worry you will get help. They will know what you need once you let them know what function it is," he said, focusing on a particular paper. "Is Eloise asleep?"

"She is. She was no trouble at all. She went down pretty quickly actually," she said. "I guess she was worn out from all the fun she had today."

He beat a stack of papers together before rising to his feet and walking around to where she sat across from him. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "It's a beautiful night." She knew he meant to the roof patio. They grabbed their coats from the entranceway closet and walked up the stairs to the patio in comfortable silence.

"It's funny how life is," Edward mused, once they were seated under the stars with a bottle of wine. "Who would have known that we would meet again? How did you end up in Bergerac?"

"It's actually a funny story," she laughed. "I had planned to get a picking job in southwestern France anyway, but it was almost like I was pushed in that particular direction. My friend left me, I got robbed in Paris and then I decided to get on a train to Bordeaux. I got a ride and ended up in Chamadelle where I met a little old lady who told me about a wine family about an hour away in Bergerac. Then I met Esme and the rest is history."

"Robbed," he gasped. "Well Paris is filled with pickpockets. I'm sorry that happened to you, but I am glad you are here. I wouldn't have been able to replace Vanessa on such short notice and Eloise absolutely loves you. Everything worked out in the end. It was almost like fate bringing me the perfect…nanny."

"I guess so," she agreed. She couldn't help thinking that there was more to his words. Fate. She supposed that was possible.

"It's beautiful," she said, standing to take another look at the lit town below.

"Yeah. The Old-town is a World Heritage Site now," he said. "I can see why. You should take Eloise out there sometime. It is beautiful. You could get some nice shots with your camera."

"We definitely will," Bella said. "How does that work? If I want to go out to get fresh veggies from the market do I let you know first and let you call Geoffrey? Should I call Geoffrey?"

"I'd prefer you let me know in advance if you want to take her out," Edward said. "I trust you, of course, but I prefer knowing. It gives me peace of mind to know where my…daughter and her nanny are. I'm sure you understand."

"Of course." She didn't miss his pause. She thought back to earlier in the day when he referred to her and Eloise as _his girls_. He was also completely fine with the woman referring to them as a family.

"My family wasn't happy about me coming on this trip." She pulled her knees to her chest settling back into her seat. "They thought it was too risky. I bet if it were my brother, they would have had no problem with it. I mean, it's 1989. I am completely fine."

"Other than the robbery thing."

"You're always sassing me." Bella rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, holding back laughter.

"Sassing? I've never heard that one before."

"Sassing is –"

"I know what it is," he chuckled. "It's never been used to describe me before. I'm flattered."

She laughed. "You don't stop, do you?"

"No idea what you mean Miss Sawn."

"You seem close to your parents," she said, getting back on the subject. "I hope my relationship with my parents will stay like that when I leave home and have a family. I want us to be close and where I can always come and visit them with my family."

"We are pretty close," he agreed.

They were quiet for a while, enjoying the cool night. Bella hugged her jacket closer to her body.

"Too cold?"

"Just a little bit chilly," she said quickly. "The wine warms me right up though. It's fine." She didn't want him to suggest that they go inside. She knew if they went inside, he would disappear into his bedroom or his study. She wasn't ready for him to leave yet. She enjoyed spending time with him.

"Philippe isn't my biological father," he said suddenly.

Bella sat up straighter in her seat, listening attentively. It sounded like she was about to learn more about him. "My father ran off to England when I was little. My mother never really spoke about him. He hurt her. Meeting Philippe was good for her. For both of us. I'm glad he adopted me. Like you said, I have a great family." He sighed, reaching for the wine bottle to pour his self more wine. "Without him…" he shook his head sadly.

"I don't know why I'm telling you this," he said, laughing humorlessly. "I guess you…" he trailed off. "I couldn't imagine not being in Eloise's life. Children need fathers sometimes."

"That's true," she agreed. "I couldn't imagine my life without mine." The talk of father's brought back a nagging question she had. Where was Eloise's mother? Nobody ever spoke of her.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Review please! I want to hear what you think.**


	10. Chapter 9: Eudaimonia

**_Eudaimonia (n.)_** _Lit. "human flourishing"; a contented state of being happy, healthy and prosperous_

* * *

 **November 11** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **6:15 pm**

"I have a pretty dress Bella!" Eloise squealed, twisting back and forth in front of the large ornate mirror in Bella's bedroom. She wore a deep blue sparkly dress a few shades lighter than the one Bella would be wearing. "I look like a princess."

The past few days had been interesting. The Berlin wall fell on the night Bella and Edward sat talking beneath the stars. The next day, it was all everyone spoke about. Geoffrey, who she found out was originally from Germany, was uncharacteristically talkative. Bella felt like she was a part of history.

Bella looked down at the jubilant little child and couldn't help but think of how lucky she was to be in this new position in her life.

"Yes you do," Bella said, getting down to eye level with Eloise. "You are the prettiest princess I've ever seen."

"Really?" Eloise grinned. She reached out her tiny hand to play with a flyaway strand of Bella's hair, which was pulled up into an immaculate braided bun. "You're pretty too." Her eyes lit up as she got an idea. "You can be the queen and daddy will be the king and I am the princess," she declared, as if she made the world's best discovery. "Just like in my Princess movies."

"Well that would be…something." She didn't want to do too much to encourage this line of thinking. Although Eloise's intentions were innocent, she didn't want her to say the wrong thing and have Edward think she was a creepy woman, manipulating his child. "Come on you have to put your shoes on. Can you do it yourself?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay," Bella said, returning to the mirror, attempting to zip up her dress.

"I can help," Eloise said, scrambling up the bed.

"Thanks El," Bella turned her back to her.

"I sometimes help my mommy too," she said casually. This took Bella by surprise. This was the first time she heard either Edward or Eloise speak of her mother. She assumed the woman simply wasn't in their lives anymore and that it was a sore subject.

"That's very nice of you El," she said, trying to keep her voice even. There was so much she wanted to know, but she wouldn't feel right, questioning Eloise. It would feel like manipulation of the worst kind.

"Yeah, one time I went to a party with mommy and Papa and I got to wear a really pretty dress. Like a princess," she giggled, jumping off the bed and returning to her abandoned shoes. She stuck out her tongue in concentration as she fixed her shoe.

When they were finished, Bella gathered the overnight bag Edward instructed her to pack for herself and Eloise, and went downstairs to find him. He stood in the entranceway, turning around when he heard them enter. His mouth snapped open and Bella noticed how his eyes darkened.

"You look beautiful," he said, once she was near.

"Thank you," she said softly, feeling her cheeks heat. He was giving her _that_ stare again.

Tiny hands came up, tugging on Edward's pant leg. "And you look absolutely beautiful as well my princess," he groaned, as he lifted Eloise into his arms. "It is my absolute pleasure to accompany you ladies to this dinner party," he said in an exaggerated formal tone, sounding like a snooty French aristocrat.

"I'm not a lady Papa," Eloise said with a soft giggle. "I'm too little. I am the princess, Bella is the queen and you're the king. Like in the princess stories."

Bella averted her gaze, feeling guilty even though she had no reason to.

She was surprised when she heard Edward reply, "I suppose you are right darling. How silly of me." He held out his arm for Bella. "Are you ready my queen? Your carriage awaits."

"Definitely," she said, linking her shaking hand with his. The three of them briskly stepped out into the Switzerland night, giddy with anticipation.

* * *

The party was held in a large hall at the beautiful and luxurious Bellevue Palace hotel. The ballroom was covered in red drapery and the walls adorned with ornate carvings and gold finishes. It boasted views of the Alps and the Old town below. There were many important business people there and even some children. Edward moved smoothly around the room, mingling with his fellow businessmen.

Bella felt like royalty once she was seated with Edward. The dinner was absolutely wonderful. She enjoyed the _bernese platter à ma vue_ with rösti with brown butter and it was like nothing she tasted before. She could hardly wait for dessert.

She still was unsure as to what exactly the dinner was for. The typed-written agenda at her place setting was completely in German. She recognized some words and Edwards name but she only had a general gist of what was occurring around her.

Sometime during the dinner, a man stood up and approached the podium. He began speaking in a deep German voice. Bella only picked up that he was talking about businesses and something about politics. Two other people spoke after him and the second shocked Bella by introducing Edward as the representative for the Caron Group and their businesses in art, wine and aviation.

She was shocked. She knew the family was wealthy and Edward was obviously a successful man, but she didn't realize the extent. He got up to the podium and spoke in detail about the Caron family and investments. She wished she could understand everything he was saying. His command of languages never ceased to amaze her. Being multilingual had always been a goal of hers.

She wondered what other hidden talents Edward possessed.

When he was finished with his speech, he returned to their table, his hand lightly touching her shoulders as he passed and retook his seat next to her. She gave him an encouraging smile once he was seated. She felt extreme pride for him and his success.

"Enjoying the party?"

"Not what I was expecting, but I love it. This is wonderful," she answered. "Congratulations. From what I understood, you are quite the accomplished person. I can't believe you did all of that before thirty."

"I'm only as great as those who paved the way before me," he said. "Philippe and his father are the truly accomplished ones. I'm only continuing their legacy."

Other people approached the podium to speak and perform musical pieces and the room slipped into polite silence. At a certain point Edward turned to speak to her.

"I have reserved a suite for the night. It has two bedrooms," he said, looking down at Eloise. "You and Eloise can head up now. This party will be a while and it is about time the children leave and the men drink and have a few smokes." He stood up, reaching into his pocket for the key to the suite. He instructed her as to where to find the suite and kissed Eloise Goodnight.

Bella and Eloise entered the Presidential Suite, which was fit for royalty. Edward spoke about getting Bella her own room, but she declined since she didn't mind sharing. The suite was immaculate and classically furnished and exquisitely decorated with the finest fabrics. There were two expansive bedrooms, a conference room, a living room and a kitchen. There was also a balcony with a wonderful view of the Alps. It was like the living quarters of a Palace. Eloise and Bella settled in one of the rooms and changed into pajamas.

Edward spoke about getting Bella her own room, but she declined.

Eloise let out an adorable yawn. "It's past your bedtime El," Bella giggled as she brushed the wild tresses on the little girl's head.

"Come on." She placed Eloise under the covers settling next to her.

"Goodnight Bella."

"Goodnight El."

"Love you," the little girl said sleepily.

Bella's breath caught in her throat. This came as a surprise for her. "Love you too, Eloise."

They both drifted off to sleep. Bella awoke sometime later to a muffled thud coming from the living area. She sat up in bed, looking around the luxurious suite and remembering where she was. Bella carefully slipped out of the bed, not wanting to wake Eloise, who was now sprawled out diagonally on the bed.

She slipped out of the room, almost bumping into Edward in the dark.

"Miss Swan," he said in surprise.

"How was the rest of the party?"

"It was splendid." He ran his hand through his hair, taking a step back. "There was music and lots of dancing. Regretfully, I did not have a partner." He turned heading into the living room. Bella followed slowly after him.

"What kind of music do you like?" He was fiddling with a music player. The room filled with a melodious instrumental song.

"All kinds," she said, sitting on the spacious divan. "I really like Madonna."

He chuckled, taking off his coat and dropping it on the divan. "Would you care to dance?" He held out his hand for her. "To make up for my lack of partner."

Bella felt the heat stirring within her. She stood up, slowly making her way toward him. "Thank you," he murmured, taking her hand and wrapping his arm gently around her waist. They glided around the room slowly.

"You are a very good dancer," she observed.

"I'm good at a lot of things."

Bella's cheeks heated at the connotations, she heard in his words. Her mind went to dirty places when she was around him.

"May I…" He was looking deep into her eyes with that intense gaze. The gaze that had began to make her lose herself in him. "I feel an inexplicable draw to you. I don't understand it." He wore an expression on his face that she cannot quite place.

Bella was surprised by his words. She felt precisely the same, but to hear it out loud left her feeling overwhelmed. There was a heat within her that made her want to do things. Wild, inappropriate, but satisfying things. She let out an involuntary whimper.

Edward raked his eyes from hers, now focusing on her lips. "I don't mean to be forward, but…" he leaned forward slowly.

Bella knew she was falling for him. She supposed that had been the case for quite some time. She had to all but stop herself from leaping forward and connecting her lips with any part of his face that she could reach. A forceful darkness overtook his eyes. It almost scared her.

He pulled her closer and she let herself be pulled as his hips met hers. She pressed her lips softly against his, cupping his smooth statuesque face. Their mouths moved slowly together as they breathed each other in with frantic urgency. The tip of his tongue slid against hers slowly, causing her stomach to flip with longing and anticipation.

Edward fisted her hair in one hand as the other slid slowly down her back, his hand pressing against her soft skin though the thin material of her nightwear. They swayed slowly to the sensual music as his hands moved lower, lightly cupping her rear. He sucked on her bottom lip, pressing his teeth into the soft plump flesh. She whimpered in response and soon she felt herself falling back onto the divan.

He covered her body with his as his mouth moved against hers. His fingers dug into her hips almost painfully. It felt as if he was trying to consume her very being. He lazily dragged his hands up her sides underneath her top, stopping just below her chest. A muffled moan escaped her and she closed her eyes, reveling in her extreme feelings of desire. Her heart sped and she felt as if she would surely burst open from the burning fire within her.

All too soon, she felt him pulling away. "I'm sorry." He sat back on his heels, before hoisting himself off of the divan. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Don't be." She sat up, righting her top. She ran her tongue over her now slightly swollen lips. "I wanted you to."

He stepped away from the divan turning toward a window. Her ran a hand through his wild bronze locks. "It was inappropriate."

Bella's heart fell. She didn't care about appropriateness in that moment. The feelings she had were too intense to ignore. They seemed to have increased tenfold now that she experienced kissing him.

"I don't care," she said, feeling uncharacteristically bold. His kiss set off a fire within her. She hoisted herself up from the divan, approaching him slowly.

She reached her hand out slowly, resting it on his broad shoulder. "I feel that same as you." He spun around so quickly that she would have fallen over if it were not for his strong arms wrapping tightly around her waist. His lips were on hers again, hungry with desire and passion.

* * *

 **That is all for now. See you next chapter. It is already written.**

 **Review please!**

 **Thanks for all the wonderful reviews of chapter 8. I believe I replied to them all.**

 **To Kat:** Yes, you are correct that French kids are given wine (diluted with water). They will eventually do the same with Eloise. She is still quite young. I was about 10 when I had it like that. Thanks for reviewing!


	11. Chapter 10: Novaturient

**_Novaturient (adj.)_** _Desiring or seeking powerful change in one's life, behavior, or situation_

* * *

Chapter 10

 **.**

 **November 12** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **7:59 am**

Bella woke up to Eloise's little feet pressing painfully into her side. She looked up to find Eloise's empty double bed on the other side of the room. She gently shifted the girl, checking the time on the clock. Memories of the previous night's events flooded her mind. The intensity of what happened with Edward made her quiver with desire.

With a longing sigh, she slipped out of bed and headed into the en suite bathroom. Her entire morning shower was spent with thoughts of Edward and the way he made her feel.

At the end of her shower, she spent quite a bit of time staring at her reflection in the large mirror. She tried to smooth down her thick, damp hair.

She couldn't stop smiling.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, she collided with a solid form with a loud wet smack. One minute she was on her feet, the next she was flat on her ass in front of the bathroom door. Her legs comically splayed far apart. A loud squeal escaped her lips.

"Miss Swan!" Edward scrambled forward attempting to grab her hand, his reaction much too late. He ended up slipping and falling on top of her, between her spread legs. "I'm so sorry…" He tried to balance himself while attempting to get back on his feet.

Eloise shifted on the bed, sitting up and sleepily rubbing her eyes. "Papa?"

"I…uh." Edward managed to pop back onto his feet. He held out a hand for Bella, pulling her up as she held her towel together with one hand. "I just came to see if you and Miss Bella were up," he said, guiltily. "I knocked." He pointed to the door of the bedroom. "Nobody answered so I came in to –"

Bella cut off his nervous rambling. "It's fine."

He looked down at her, probably remembering where they were and the fact that she was wearing only a tiny bath towel. "I should go," he said quickly. "I'll just be out…there. We can get breakfast when the two of you are ready." He all but ran out of the bedroom."

"Morning Papa!" Eloise yelled, as he hastily left the room.

"Morning love," he called over his shoulder, quickly shutting the door behind him.

Bella turned to Eloise with a heavy sigh. This was going to prove to be a very complicated situation.

Edward was seated in the living room with an impressive spread of food when Bella emerged with Eloise. "Breakfast!" Eloise squealed, running over to her father.

Bella took a seat across from them, reaching for a croissant and small bowl of oat flakes and yogurt. "This all looks so delicious."

" _Zopf_?" Edward asked, gesturing to some braid-shaped bread.

"No thanks," she smiled. "I'm good with the croissants and…what do they call this here?"

" _Müesli_. And those croissants are called _gipfeli._ "

" _Gipfeli_ ," she repeated. He smiled as his eyes followed her lips. She felt her face heaten.

"Do you like _Müesli_ Miss Bella? _Je ne l'aime pas_ ," Eloise said scrunching up her nose. "I like _Gipfeli_ though."

"I can see that," Bella giggled, seeing Eloise's food-messed face. She reached for a napkin to wipe off the girl's face.

"You know what else I like Miss Bella?" Eloise asked.

"What El?"

"You," she giggled. "I wish you never leave like Miss Vanessa." She turned to look up at Edward. "Papa?"

"What is it _mon chou_?" Edward asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"If you marry Miss Bella will she stay forever?"

Edward nearly choked on his coffee. His eyes grew wide and he gave Bella a panicked glance. Eloise patted her father's back with her tiny hand. "I'm afraid it's not that simple chérie."

"Why?" Eloise tilted her head to the side, waiting for an explanation.

"Well…people get married after knowing each other for some time and they have to spend time together and fall in love."

Eloise looked confused. "So…later?"

"That's not how it works Eloise," he said with a frustrated sigh as he shot Bella an apologetic look. "We'll talk about it later. Eat."

Bella ducked her head, wondering what exactly that explanation would entail. Her mind drifted back to the question of Eloise's mother. Was Edward in love with her at some point? It was entirely likely that he was.

The rest of breakfast was filled with long silences that were eventually filled with Eloise's chatter, as the child was oblivious to the awkwardness her innocent questions caused.

They checked out of the Bellevue place after breakfast, heading back to Edward's decadent home on the hill.

 **.**

 **November 12** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **3:02 pm**

Edward gave Bella the afternoon off once they arrived back at the house. He quickly explained that he and Eloise were in for some quality father daughter time and they had a lot to discuss. He also cited a family issue that he had to deal with.

Bella spent the afternoon in Bern thinking over he current situation. She knew she felt something for Edward but she was unsure as to how to begin to define what it was.

Even if she and Edward were to pursue a relationship, how would it function? She only expected to spend a year in Europe. Could she see herself there on a long-term basis, living between France and Switzerland? Was it what she wanted? She wasn't entirely sure.

Bella stopped to admire a beautiful green handmade necklace that was made by one of the local artisans.

"Für sie?" _For you?_

"Nein. Meine schwester," Bella responded meeting the kind eyes of the small elderly woman. She thought of how beautiful the necklace would look on her sister Rachel. Rachel was the girly twin. Angela's tastes were far different.

"Are you from America?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"No. Lucky guess."

"I'll take the necklace," Bella said running her finger across it.

"It's a beautiful piece," the woman said, taking the necklace. "It would look beautiful against your skin. If your sister is anything like you, it will be the same on her."

The woman wrapped up the necklace, placing it in a bag. "Your eyes," the woman said.

"Pardon me?"

"You are conflicted," she said, handing Bella the bag. "Does love have your heart heavy?"

"I'm not even sure," Bella said absently taking the bag. The woman offered her a knowing smile.

"I know that look," she said. "If you want, I can offer you something that could help. Or I can even tell you how it all turns out. Put your mind at ease."

The woman held out a wiry hand.

"I don't know," Bella said, holding on tightly to her purchase. She was curious to find out what the woman might say, but at the same time she didn't want what the woman would say to fill her with more obsessive thoughts of Edward. She just wanted to clear her mind. Besides, she didn't particularly buy into fortune telling.

"It's okay," she told the woman. "I'll wait and see how everything turns out. Thank you though."

Bella spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the artisan market, looking for things that reminded her of people back home and trying to keep her mind off of Edward Caron.

When she got back to the house, it was Eloise's bedtime and Edward was in her room reading a bedtime story.

After he put the sleeping Eloise down in her room Edward made his way into the living room where Bella was seated on the divan. Her face reddened as he entered. She couldn't help but think of what transpired between them the night before after fighting against those thoughts for most of the afternoon.

"Eloise was worn out?"

"Yeah…we should talk." He locked eyes with her. His gaze was burning with intensity. "About us."

Bella's stomach fluttered at his words. She nodded in agreement. "Do you regret it?" She had been dreading this moment. She knew it was inevitable, but it was still a nerve-racking conversation to have.

"No…it's not that. It's Eloise."

"Oh," she said with a sigh of relief. "Of course."

He raked a hand through his hair as he took a seat across from her. "I don't want to confuse her."

"Okay." She waited for him to explain further.

"I think we should hold off on _this_ for the time being. I don't want to jeopardize our working relationship or anything else. I'm just not ready to go further as yet"

Bella's heart fell. Her mind was racing, attempting to formulate a response.

The idea of continuing as if there was nothing between them physically pained her. She understood that Eloise had to be their first priority, but she wanted to be a little selfish. She wanted to assure him that they would come out of this unscathed if they were to enter a relationship.

Something about being with him felt right. Deep down, she was sure this was how things were supposed to proceed. It felt like a natural course of action.

She swallowed back the protests that were running through her mind, nodding her head in agreement. "I understand." She rubbed her palms against her jeans, feeling guilty for thinking so selfishly.

He leaned towards her, taking her hands in his. "I feel something for you and I know you feel the same, but I think we should slow down. I meant what I said last night, but we cannot pursue this yet. I got ahead of myself last night. I wasn't thinking completely clearly."

"I understand," she repeated softly averting her eyes. She wished she meant it, but it felt like her heart was breaking.

He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but seemed to think the better of it.

"I really do understand. You are my boss. We should keep this professional." She gently pulled her hands away as she stood up. "Goodnight Edward." She quickly turned and darted toward the stairs.

"Sleep well Miss Swan," he said softly as she ascended the stairs.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Please review! You might get chapter 11 soon.**


	12. Chapter 11: Sturmfrei

**_Sturmfrei (adj.)_** _Origin: Germany_

 _Lit. "stormfree"; the freedom of not being watched by a parent or superior; being alone at a place and having the ability to do what you want_

* * *

Chapter 11

 **November 19** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **9:03pm**

A week had passed since Bella and Edward had their talk. As the time went by, their communication had dwindled. Not that Edward was much of a communicator before.

Edward had taken to eating meals alone and he avoided the late night rooftop talks with Bella. Whenever they spoke it was strictly about Eloise and nothing else. As he had said, their relationship would be nothing but professional. He would be her employer and nothing more.

During Bella's free day Edward had disappeared with his daughter early in the morning. She knew it was his way of giving her space on her day off. She had spent the day exploring the Old Town more thoroughly on her own. She couldn't help but feel the loneliness she felt after Jasper had left her in London.

She wished she could go back in time and stop the kiss. However, that would prove to be difficult since she couldn't even remember who initiated the kiss.

Bella looked up as she heard the front door open and close.

Edward was home.

She was curled up in the living room with a book, waiting for his return from his meeting in the city. She refused to accept his avoidance. She longed for the days when their relationship was uncomplicated.

"Miss Swan," he said, nodding in her direction when he noticed her presence.

"Hello Edward." She closed her book, sitting up straight.

"Eloise?" His eyes moved around the room as if he were expecting to see his daughter hidden in somewhere in plain sight.

"She's asleep."

He nodded, averting his gaze. "We're going to Germany in about three days."

She sat up straighter, excited about her next adventure. She had already been to Germany with Jasper, but she was excited about the prospect of revisiting. "What's in Germany?"

"I have some business to conduct. We are interested in a few galleries there." He picked at some imaginary lint on his sweater. "We'll only be there for a few days and then we'll go to the Netherlands and Belgium."

"Galleries?" she asked. "So the fun side of the Caron group business."

"Right," he said, moving to sit across from her in the very place he sat when he broke her heart exactly a week before. "Our quest to enter the banking business will be put on hold for a short while. It's back to wine and art for me."

"Which is far more interesting," she finished for him with a laugh.

"Certainly," he chuckled. "I didn't know how much more of those stuffy bankers I could take. I've been accused of being quite stuffy myself, but I have nothing on them. I'm relegating that job to another one of my associates. It's more of his style."

"I don't think you're that stuffy." She offered with a teasing grin. "You could loosen up a little more, but it could be worse."

He let out a loud chortle. "Thank you Miss Swan. I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good."

Edward groaned, rubbing his eyes as he made himself more comfortable. "I'm exhausted. I can't wait to get out of here."

"Yeah, I'm excited to see Germany again."

"That's right," he said. "You've visited already. What about Amsterdam?"

"I haven't been there yet, but I did visit Belgium with my friend Jasper. We went to Hungary as well."

"Hungary," he said. "Where? Budapest?"

She nodded.

"My mom used to be obsessed with that place," he said. "Which is funny because I don't even think she's ever been there. I think she just always wanted to visit for some reason. She would never stop talking about it."

"It's a beautiful place," Bella agreed. "My friend Jasper and I stayed with a doctor while we were there. We had a lot of fun. You've never been?"

"I have," he said. "I believe I've been to every major city in Europe so far. I'm always on the move."

"You are a very busy man," she mused. "It works for you. You balance it well and I admire that."

"This life isn't for everybody," he said sadly. "It's why Phillip gave it up. He's much happier working with my mom in Bergerac."

"Happiness should always come first." She ran a finger along the side of her book. "Are you happy Edward? With what you do."

He gave her a sad smile. "I love it at the moment. It won't be like this forever, but I'm enjoying this point in my career. It doesn't work for everybody, but it works for me."

Bella offered him a comforting smile. It felt wonderful being able to have a normal conversation with him again. Her mind drifted back to the little girl upstairs and her missing mother. What about her mother? Was Edward's lifestyle, one that worked for her?

 **November 20** **th** **1989**

 **Bern, Switzerland**

 **8:20 am**

"Want to do something fun?" Bella asked as she brushed Eloise's hair into a ponytail.

"I like fun," Eloise said, nodding her head happily.

"We should go on an adventure today in town," she said. "I'm going to find my sister Angela a gift."

Eloise gasped. "You have a sister Miss Bella?"

"Yes, I do. In fact, I have two little sisters and a big brother."

She looked up at Bella with her bright beautiful eyes. "Are they little like me?"

"They're a bit bigger El. They're fourteen years old."

"Wow," she said counting on her fingers. "That's very old. How old are you?"

"I'm twenty-one," Bella answered with a giggle.

"Oh, you're not as old as Papa. He is very, _very_ old."

Bella laughed at Eloise's concept of age. He may have been old to a child, but from society's perspective, he's still very much a young man. "I'll go ask your Papa if we can go into town today. I'll be right back."

Bella knocked on Edward's office door. She heard his voice on the other side and she assumed he was on a call, but the speaking seemed to have stopped.

Just as she was about to turn around and return upstairs, he swung the door open, peering out. "Oh, Miss Swan. Is everything okay? Eloise isn't giving you any trouble is she?"

"No, she's great. It's just that I –" her words were cut off by a loud clicking noise against the floor that sounded like high heels.

"Edward?" A tall, slender woman with fiery red hair appeared behind Edward. "Oh, sorry to interrupt."

Edward sighed, turning to face the woman. "Bella I'd like you to meet Victoria," he said. "Eloise's mother. I'll be with you in a minute Victoria."

"Actually, I should really be leaving," She said, brushing some imaginary lint off of her sparkly expensive-looking dress. "I'll be back for Eloise later."

"She's awake and upstairs," Bella said. "Does she know you're here? I can go –"

"That's quite alright…Bella is it?" She stepped around Edward and was now directly facing Bella.

"Yeah," Bella shrunk back slightly, feeling like a sloppy child in comparison to the tall confident redhead.

"I'll see her later with her grandparents," she said, glancing at her watch. "She will be much more surprised to see us all at once. I really must be going though. I wish I could talk more, but I have to get ready to meet with the new designer for the line. I'll see you later Edward." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before hastily heading towards the front door.

"Victoria is in town for a photo shoot," he said in explanation after they heard the sound of the front door shutting. "Her parents are flying in this morning. They will stop by this afternoon to collect Eloise for a sleepover. Prepare an overnight bag for her."

"Okay."

"What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

"It was nothing," she said, backing away. "It doesn't really matter anymore."

"Well if that's all…I have some calls to make," he said, gesturing to his office. "After Eloise leaves you'll have the rest of the day off. I'll see you later."

"Okay."

Bella found Eloise in the kitchen with the cook having breakfast. She wasn't aware that the woman was going to be in today. Edward hadn't mentioned it. "Hey El."

"Miss Bella I want to wear my blue dress," Eloise said excitedly. "I want flowers too."

Bella poured herself some coffee. "Change of plans."

"Huh?" Eloise seemed confused by this. "Papa said no?"

"No El. You are going to do something else later. It's a surprise and we have to pack a bag for you."

"A surprise?" she gasped. "Like _un cadeau_?"

"Something like that."

Eloise squealed in excitement.

Bella wasn't sure what kind of clothes Eloise would need for an afternoon and evening out with her mother and her grandparents. Judging by Victoria's clothing they seemed like they might be the luxurious type, so she packed a fancier dress along with some casual clothes for Eloise.

Edward had said that Victoria would be back around noon, so she took a very excited Eloise down to the foyer with her small overnight bag to wait for her surprise.

"What's my surprise Miss Bella?"

"You'll see very soon," Bella said, giving her a wink. "Any minute now."

Twenty minutes passed and Eloise was beginning to get fidgety. "Why is my surprise taking so long Miss Bella? _J'en ai marre d'attendre_."

Bella looked at her watch again. "Okay, how about we get a little snack. Your gift might be running a little late."

"Running?"

"It's an expression El."

"Expression?"

"Never mind." She took the child's hand, leading her to the kitchen to make her a snack. After Eloise was happily eating, Bella went to find Edward.

"Hello Miss Swan," he said after she entered his study. "Have they left already? I wanted to see Eloise off." He glanced at the clock.

"No, they haven't. I guess a got her ready a little too early."

"No, Victoria said noon," he said. "It's 12:45 now. Perhaps she's running late. I'll call her hotel to see if she left already."

She waited quietly as he dialed the number. Apparently Victoria was still at her hotel. She informed him that her parents would be by in about two hours to collect Eloise without her. Something had come up and she could no longer make it.

"I'm sorry Miss Swan," he sighed. "I know I said that you would have the afternoon off, but –"

"It's fine," she said quickly. "El and I have been meaning to play a proper game of hide and seek so now is as good a time as any."

"Is it here yet?" Eloise asked when Bella reentered the kitchen.

"Two more hours El."

"Aww," she whined. "I'm tired of waiting."

"How about we play a game of cache-cache."

"Okay," she said perking up. "I will hide and you will count." The little girl hopped out of her chair and scurried away as Bella began to count to thirty.

"Ready or not, here I come," Bella called out in a loud voice. "Where is Eloise?"

After spending about ten minutes searching for Eloise on the first floor Bella moved upstairs. "Where could she be?"

She searched Eloise's room and then her own and saw no signs of Eloise. She searched two guest rooms before stopping short and Edward's shut bedroom door. She figured that room was off limits and she prayed the little girl didn't decide to hide there.

"Eloise?" She pressed her ear to the door, listening for a girlish giggle. "Please don't be in there," she whispered to herself. She looked both ways before slowly pushing the door open and peering inside. Nothing seemed amiss. The room was clean and impersonal. The room was painted white and had beige carpeting and bed linen. There were no pictures or any personal items. Even the guest rooms had more personality.

"Eloise?" There was no answer. She glanced over her shoulder again before slowly stepping into the bedroom. "Are you in here?" She got down on her knees to check under the bed.

Eloise wasn't there.

She slowly tiptoed to the door of his walk-in closet. "Eloise?"

Edward's clothes were neatly organized and she felt a little embarrassed thinking of the state of disarray her own closet was currently in. She never understood how some people were so good at keeping everything in their place. She smiled, reaching out to touch one of his sweaters.

She was tempted to sniff it, but she didn't want to be creepy.

"Where the heck is she?" she mumbled as she left his bedroom. She was starting to get worried. Maybe Eloise was on the first floor after all. There's no way she would be on the roof patio. That's the only place she didn't search.

Bella went back downstairs to have a second look. It had been almost thirty minutes since they started the game. As she left the kitchen, she noticed Edward standing conspicuously outside his office door.

Hello Miss Swan," he called in an unusually loud tone. "What brings you here to my office?"

She caught on to what he was doing with a sigh of relief. "I'm looking for Eloise. We're playing cache-cache and I can't find her anywhere. May I look in there?"

"You lost her again," he grinned feigning surprise. "You can look, but I think I would know if my Eloise was here. I was standing here the whole time and I didn't see her go in."

"Oh, well, it's worth a try," Bella said copying his loud theatrical tone. He stepped to the side to allow her to enter the office ahead of him.

"Where is El?" Bella heard a small giggle near Edward's desk. She smiled, moving around the room, play searching for Eloise. "I can't believe I lost her again."

When she had finally looked everywhere except behind the desk, she slowly moved towards it, peeking over to see Eloise's happy face smiling up at her. "Hi Miss Bella!"

"I found you!"

"You didn't know where I was," Eloise giggled. "I had a good hiding place Papa."

"You certainly did _mon chou,_ " he said, as he approached them. "Having fun?"

"Yes!" Eloise wrapped her tiny arms around Bella's waist, giving her a tight hug.

Edward met Bella's eyes before quickly looking away. He cleared his throat and sat down at his desk. "I'm happy to hear that." He reached for the telephone, his hand, pausing in midair. "Why don't you think of another game while I check on your surprise."

"Yay!" she exclaimed. She ran toward the door before turning around. "Will you come play with us Papa? Please?"

" _Mon chou_ I –"

"S'il vous plait Papa?"

Edward gave Bella a quick glance before letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine, but one game and then I have to get back to work."

"Merci papa!"

 **Thanks for reading! Review please!**

 **We finally meet Eloise's mother. What do you think?**


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